Roanoke
by Lacey52
Summary: A town settled twice in the early adventures to colonize the Americas.  The first one failed, the people left, and it made a small note in history.  The second just disappeared into thin air, and several hundreds of years later so does someone else.  SxD
1. Prelude:  Running

**Roanoke**  
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_A note_: Well, I've had this idea brewing for a while, and in one sleepless night I sat down and outlined it completely, did all the research I needed to do, and set up the basics of every chapter. Not bad for one night. I highly recommend listening to the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest soundtrack if you have it. For some reason, it really helped me get into the mood to write this story, and I listened to it about twenty times straight already. I've really enjoyed the music…Well, this probably isn't going to make much sense until much later chapters, but that's okay. This is more for me than anyone else.

Blanket Disclaimer applies as usual to this and all other chapters: I don't own Danny Phantom, anything thereby affiliated, nor any book, movie, song, character, etc., that might be mentioned in this fan fiction, unless the item or person in question was specifically designed by myself for this story.

This chapter's gonna' be short. It's just a set up with a bit of character analysis to give you all something to base character assumptions off of. Oh, and I'm not stopping Chained Reactions…it's just giving me a headache, and this one was calling me…darn plot bunnies.

Have fun and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

**Prelude: Running**

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Running and running, it felt like they were running always now. Always a step behind, always a step ahead, it never really mattered. If they were running from, running to, running with, it didn't matter…they were still, and constantly, running.

Puffing, a now seventeen year old Sam Manson pushed herself even harder, rounding a corner just in time to pull out a small ghost gun and blast the spectral figure away from the central power lines. She swung around and to her slight discomfort saw that Tucker and Valerie were both struggling as well. These particular ghosts were not going to give up, nor give in to their demands that they leave.

"Hey uglies!" Sam dared shout, drawing the attention of the other two ghosts, "Go away!"

She shot off three more blasts, but missed every single time. She had gotten lucky with her first shot and caught the ghost off guard. They were extremely agile and even with Valerie's skills they were making little headway in this particular fight.

'I just wish…,' but Sam trailed off as one of the ghosts dove at her. Shifting her weight quickly, Sam leapt to the side, only to be slammed into by Tucker as he pushed her to the ground. A blinding flash swept over their heads. She would have died if Tucker hadn't interfered.

She stood up and shook it off, 'Nothing new there…'

The three began to circle into a more defensive position, waiting for one of the ghosts to grow impatient and make a mistake. This was their best tactic usually, especially with the more powerful creatures. The one Sam had hit with a blast earlier was the first to come at them…without the other two backing it.

Valerie leapt into action, vaulting over the two other humans and slamming her foot into the ghost's chest. She opened fire on it's face less than a second later, and while it was stunned Tucker took the opportunity presented and opened the Fenton Thermos.

With one down and two left, the little group was in for a fight, but it had to be done. The city desperately needed this power station to stay up and running. They had lost the other two earlier this week.

For another ten minutes the fight raged on, Tucker taking a serious shot to his shoulder and Sam earning a cut across her cheek. She was lucky she wasn't missing her head. Valerie was helmet-less by the end of the fight and her right eye was rapidly swelling shut. All three were thankful to have survived the encounter with no casualties and so few injuries.

Wearily, Valerie headed home to get a slab of steak for her eye, and the inevitable lecture from her father. Tucker was dragged back to his house, where in the privacy of his room, his shirt was stripped unceremoniously from him by Sam, and his shoulder inspected.

It wasn't the first time they had had to bandage one another, and it certainly wasn't going to be the last. Shyness had been lost after the first major fight. Someone had to take care of their injuries and they certainly couldn't go to the hospital and explain _why _they were in such a state.

Sam had gotten amazingly good at stitching people up and taking care of injuries garnered through normal means. Tucker was the expert on just about everything else...meaning anything spectrally acquired.

"It's burnt," Sam wrinkled her nose, carefully cleaning off the wound on his shoulder, "and it smells horrible…"

"You never did like the smell of cooked meat," Tucker teased gently, but patted her on the back none-the-less, "It's fine…it's probably going to blister too, and I bet it's gonna' get infected."

"Not if I can help it," Sam grimaced as she began to apply a salve of burn cream and wrap his shoulder, "I don't need you getting a fever and being too out of it to do anything. Besides, we've got a test in history this Thursday, and if I have to suffer through it, so do you."

"Fine, fine," Tucker laughed, then winced as she pulled the bandage tight, "Ow…"

"Sorry," she sat back to admire her work, reminiscing as she looked at two other scars on his chest. Both had been taken care of by her, both were horrifying experiences, and both had made him, as well as her, stronger, "I need to get home."

"Let's get your face cleaned up first, alright?" he moved to grab an alcohol wipe and cleaned off the cut, blowing on it gently when it showed on her face that it was stinging, "I hate having to do this…"

"Me too," Sam looked down, trying her hardest to ignore the stinging sensation behind her eyes and a suspicious tightness in her throat, "but it's what's right."

"I'm sorry Sam," and he gently wrapped her in a hug, "I just wish…"

But Tucker had to trail off…wishing was one of the most dangerous things to do these days…even more so than it had been before.

Before. What a horrid word in their lives.

'If we just _knew_,' Tucker thought desperately, looking down at the girl in his arms.

She had changed so much. She was quite, no longer protesting as she once did, no longer caring to voice her opinion loudly and bravely. She was far more introspective, far more level-headed, if that was even possible, and it was all because of _before_.

Then too, he supposed, he had changed a great deal as well. He was the one who had to come up with the plans now…the one who had to be strong, the one who was comforting Sam. He loved her dearly, and sometimes people thought it to be something romantic.

It truly wasn't. He loved her as his best friend, and as his little sister who was desperately in need of someone to hold her and tell her it was going to be alright, even if it really wasn't. Because telling her almost, sometimes, nearly convinced him it was true. Almost.

But that was something that they were running from too.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Morning," Valerie intoned from behind dark glasses, "How are you two doing?"

"Fine," Tucker replied cheerfully, "I fell asleep holding a girl for once…"

"Shut it Tuck," Sam smacked his arm, careful of which one she hit, "You're going to get the rumor mills going again, and I prefer the populace to see our relationship as platonic, not smoldering passions."

Tucker just laughed and Valerie joined in, the three of them slipping into their first period just as the bell rang. No one said anything at the sight of their weary countenances, as most of the town knew now that they were fighting ghosts.

Lancer, who had still managed to follow them and torture them through school, also said nothing. He was worried, but who was he to tell them what to do in their spare time. They were keeping the town safe, and two of the three were already eighteen. Even then, there was no chance he'd ever convince Samantha to stop her dangerous activities.

She seemed to be the most determined of them all.

As class progressed, Tucker proceeded to take a nap, having stayed up later than the other two thinking. His shoulder was also starting to throb more persistently, and the beginnings of a fever were coming on. Sam was going to murder him in his sleep for not letting her change the bandage this morning.

A gentle hand on his shoulder roused Tucker at the end of the period, Valerie handed him a few aspirin, and the three parted ways to their next class. He took the pills all at once, no water. He was becoming a pro and it was starting to scare him.

Sam floated through the hall, people still sending her strange glances, sympathetic stares…but then, they still did that for Tucker too, and when Jazz was in town, or when they saw the Fentons…

She tiredly opened her locker, only to pause as she remembered a particularly happy memory, her eyes growing glassy. She would be late to second but it wouldn't matter. Not much did anymore.

Except running.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Second passed, third rolled by, and fourth was slept through. Lunch came and went, as did fifth, sixth, and seventh, and when the bell rang and Sam was not around, no one was worried. It was no mystery where _she_ had disappeared to.

Valerie sat in the bleachers and watched as Sam ran around and around the track. She knew that the girl was in shape, that she had done well on the Presidential Exams in gym back in ninth grade, but not until she and Tucker had joined her in her hunting did she discover how good Sam was at running.

Tucker had started to join her after a while when he realized he couldn't quite keep up with the two girls in the fights, but he was never able to match Sam's stamina. In truth, Valerie doubted she could ever run as hard, for as far, and as long as Sam could.

Out of all of they who ran, Sam was the best at it, but in more than just the physical way.

From the stands she observed the other girl, her once rival now one of her best friends. She was graceful, breathing steadily and her feet pounding out a rhythm that seemed to soothe her soul. Valerie had her martial arts and hunting to throw herself into, Tucker had all of his technology and the hunting to throw himself into, and Sam had the hunt and the run.

She eventually slowed down, and met Tucker at the track's entrance where he'd stood watching, graciously accepting a bottle of cool water from him as they headed back towards Valerie's spot. They didn't start talking until they arrived at her side.

"You didn't run today Tuck," Sam took another sip of water, then turned to grab her bag from where it sat behind Valerie.

"I had detention, apparently I can get away with sleeping in one or two classes, but not all of them," he chuckled wryly, "but even then, Lancer only kept me for twenty minutes."

"He's a good man," Valerie begrudgingly admitted, shrugging her shoulders, "After they started to realize that we were the ones who took over in the absence of…"

But she trailed off as Sam lowered her head with every word that had started slipping from her mouth.

"It doesn't matter," she finally stated after a moment, "After this year it won't matter anymore at all because we'll be out of school and out of this thrice damned town."

Tucker and Valerie shared a knowing look, though both agreed whole heartedly. This town held nothing but heartache for several of the unlucky citizens. If there was no heartache, then there were at least the constant concern of ghost attacks, more now than ever before.

"I'm heading home," Sam sighed as neither answered, though she knew their silence was their agreement, "I'll catch you tomorrow."

"Not that I'm looking forward to it," Valerie smiled tightly, tiredly, "but we might just meet up tonight. Don't forget that tomorrow we're assigned out history paper topics."

"Joy," Sam rolled her eyes, some of the normal flair back to her, "History term papers that aren't due until the end of the year, just what I want to do tomorrow after a test."

"Right?" Valerie laughed, "Anyways, I hope that we _don't_ see one another for once tonight. Sweet dreams tonight too!"

Laughing the girls parted ways, with Tucker calling a hurried, "Wait up and I'll walk you home!" to Sam. They didn't talk for most of the way, but they really didn't have much to say. Tonight would hopefully be a night of rest for them all.

At the door Tucker bent down and kissed Sam's forehead, a silent understanding between the two. When Sam said 'thrice damned' she had meant it, though Valerie still didn't know. She had lost more than anyone had with the exception of Danny's family, and even then it wasn't in quite the same way.

"Thank you," Sam whispered gently, "You really are too good to me. Some girl is going to be very lucky to get you one of these days."

"Ah," Tucker blushed as he pushed her door open and pushed her inside, "It isn't anything that you don't deserve. I just ya' know…I had hoped that we'd figure it all out one day."

"Hey," Sam laughed as she smiled back at the young man in her doorway, "you're supposed to be the optimist, not me. We will figure it all out…just, I guess it isn't time yet."

"Yeah," he smiled and backed out, "I know Sam, I know."

As soon as the door shut, Sam moved to the window and watched him walk home. She was beyond lucky to have had Tucker there to lean on for these two years. He'd always be dear to her for what he had done and what he was doing still. He was her rock to lean on, and hopefully she was just as steady for him when he needed it.

Sam sighed and walked to her room as soon as Tucker was out of her sight. She turned her phone on loud and vibrate, plugged it in to charge, then shoved it under her pillow. She had to keep it near in case Valerie needed her help. She hadn't gotten to turn off her phone in nearly four months.

'It doesn't matter though,' she slipped out of her day clothes and into sweats and a sports bra. She had to be ready to go and this was the easiest way to do it, 'As soon as this year is over, we're killing the portal, putting up a ghost shield over the entire town, and getting the hell out of here.'

'Now if only I could get you out of my head as easily as I can get out of this town,' Sam silently cried, 'then maybe I could stop running…'


	2. Focus

**Roanoke**  
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_A note_: Well, it appears that these chapters just refuse to be as long as I thought they might. I love where it's going…and I can only hope that when I get there you'll like it too. Eventually, I'm pretty certain that they'll get a bit longer.  
Things still probably aren't too clear, but it definitely leads us into the plot. I promise that one of these days everything will make sense, and all your little questions will be answered. Of course…if they aren't you could always let me know and I'll help you out as best I can, lol.  
Anywho, lots of love to everyone and I hope you enjoy!

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

**Chapter Two: Focus**

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Oh no."

Tucker turned his head from the whiteboard to the girl beside him in quite amusement as he watched her take in the large words proclaiming it to be both a test day and the day they would receive their assignments for their senior year history papers.

"I think she forgot that we had a test today," Sam smiled and then shook her head as Valerie dug around in her bag for a quick review over her notes, "I'll say a prayer for you Valerie."

"Oh ha ha, miss I rarely study and still manage to make an 'A'," her eyes scanned the page until the very last moment, when Lancer placed the test on her desk and cleared his throat loudly to force her to put up her work.

The test went by quickly, it was the first one they had taken, and therefore probably one of the easiest they'd see all year. Sam had known most things on the test, and expected to do well. Tucker too would probably be fine on the test, as they had studied together in the hall before the class had started. Valerie, too, would be fine, though she always proclaimed her impending failure.

It made Sam smile to hear the way she'd go on about failing, then light up when she'd receive a 'B' plus or higher. It was always like that, or at least now.

Tucker sat waiting impatiently for Lancer to finally stop shuffling his papers and get on with the second part of their class that day. The man enjoyed forcing them to wait apparently, for as soon as he was done stacking, organizing, and generally dallying with their tests, he set them about writing a one page essay on what they would like to see for their topics. If they couldn't really think of anything, a simple letter on their page would do.

Several students opted for the second proffered choice and simple wrote a single letter on their page. A few, like Tucker, vigorously sat writing on specific subjects. Sam herself chose not to write, but doodle, and her thoughts, like always, turned to the ghosts around them. At the end of five minutes, Lancer picked up the papers, shuffled, then began to hand them back out.

When he got to Sam's paper, he raised a single eyebrow, then lay it on Valerie's desk, "This paper was done by someone who, obviously, did not regard my instructions as necessary, however, they bring about an interesting subject. This paper's subject shall be on the history of ghosts. From ancient to all the present day ones."

"Wonderful," Valerie sunk further into her seat, "Just what I wanted to write about…"

"Look at it as an opportunity to gain some insight on our problems," Tucker laughed, then turned to look at the paper he was handed, a smile splitting his face as soon as he saw it, "Score! I got my own paper back."

"Lucky indeed," Lancer replied before moving on.

When he finally reached Sam, the paper she had been given only had an 'r' written on it, apparently someone hadn't any particular topic in mind. As Lancer lay the last paper on the last student's desk Sam raised a questioning hand, "Mr. Lancer, what are we supposed to do if we only have a letter"  
"Patience, Ms. Manson," he brought out a notebook, "You're about to find out. Tell me you letter, then pick a number one to ten."

"I have 'r'," she said calmly, "and I pick two."

"Your topic is Roanoke," Lancer stated, "and this is how we'll pick the rest of your topics."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Roanoke," Sam repeated to herself once more as she began to scan the list of books in the Casper High library, "Here we go, Roanoke: Mystery of the Lost Colony."

Moving to the appropriate part of the shelving, Sam quickly retrieved her book to add to the growing pile she was about to check out. These days, school work was secretly appreciated as it took her mind off of several things. Throwing herself into a senior research paper was not exactly what she wanted to do, but definitely something that would help her stay sane.

Checking her needed texts out, Sam moved off to find Tucker and Valerie already waiting by the door. Tucker already had the first page and a half of his paper written, as it was on technology and the advances made in the last two hundred years. Valerie was going to have a bit more trouble than anyone else finding reliable information on ghosts, which meant that a trip to her father's place of work, as well as the Fentons' was in order.

'I'm going to have to be busy that day,' Sam thought sadly to herself as the other two chatted about heading over there that evening. She only had time to be sad for a moment though, as something caught her eye about one of the books she checked out, "Guys, look at this…"

"What?" the two turned their heads and found themselves staring at a book entitled Roanoke and the Theory of Alien Involvement. Both had to laugh.

"You want some help doing research Sam?" Tucker asked happily, "I mean, I already know everything I'm going to write. I might as well have something to research right?"

"Whatever," she wrinkled her nose, "If I get a lot of messed up information like this, then I might consider your help. For now though…I'll just try some research myself."

"Well, if you're not helping her, then you can definitely help me," Valerie waved the paper with the doodles on it in front of him, "Thanks to Sam, I've got to do research on ghosts…and you two have always known way more than I have."

"Fine, fine," Tucker laughed gently, then started speaking again tentatively with a sideways glance at Sam, "And you know, we should head to the Fentons', they've probably got lots of stuff for you to work with. Lancer will accept their research as fact."

Sam shifted a bit, trying to make up her mind on whether or not to go. Still, there was one other place that would have plenty of information on ghosts, "When you go to the Fentons', don't forget to visit Danny's room."

Tucker caught the look, but Valerie was clueless, "Uh…yeah I guess we will. Did you…need anything from there Sam?"

"No."

"I need something from there though, and Sam was just reminding me," Tucker smiled tightly, 'The ghost files on his computer will be perfect for Valerie. Sam's really come a long way to even mention us going to his room…'

"Won't you come with us?" Tucker looked down at her.

"Let me think about it," Sam shifted her books again, "I do have a lot of research to do…"

"Of course," Valerie smiled, "Don't worry about it."

"We don't have to start all our research projects this instant," Tucker tried to lighten the atmosphere, "Let's go to the Nasty Burger and get something to eat. It's after school and that means no homework until we're home…"

"You've convinced me, sweet talker," Valerie pushed the two of them forward, "I could go for a huge burger right now."

"That's my kinda' woman," Tucker winked at Sam.

"Any woman is your kinda' woman," Sam smirked back, sad thoughts starting to fade, "Let's go get you two meat lovers fed the flesh of innocent animals and me a good old salad. Then I'm heading home for a nice shower."

"Sounds nice," Valerie stretched, before glancing down at her now beeping watch, "but that's all gonna' have to wait. There's a ghost somewhere."

She quickly reached to her backpack and pulled out a small tracking device, scrolling it through a map of the city for their latest culprit's location. Putting it back in her backpack, Valerie quickly switched into her ghost hunting suit and activated her board.

"You two go ahead and get something to eat," she spoke easily though her mask was in her way, "It has a low energy reading and is just down the street. All I want is a cheeseburger and a coke. See ya' soon."

Off she zoomed and off Tucker and Sam walked towards the fast food place, chatting about their projects. While Tucker ordered, Sam sat down to read, taking a few notes along the way on interesting facts, 'How many theories can one town possibly inspire?'

"How goes it?" Tucker sat beside her, sliding a salad over and a small Dr. Pepper.

"It goes," she replied humorlessly before deciding to humor him, "Basically, Roanoke was a colony, one of the earliest in fact, to ever be founded. The first one failed and all the people returned home, while the second…the second is the one that I'm going to do my report on."

"So there were two towns?"

"No, only one," Sam reread a few of her notes before continuing, "The second was founded just like the first, in the same place I believe, but it…well supposedly it just vanished. Most of the town was left in ruins and the people were completely gone."

"Wow, that actually sounds familiar," Tucker spoke around a mouthful of burger.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that when Pariah Dark was here," Tucker frowned, "Only our whole town got ruined _and_ sucked in, not just the people."

"That _is_ interesting," Sam raised her eyebrow, "That definitely raises a few questions of my own. Maybe some of the ghosts know something about it…"

"Now Sam," Tucker frowned and set his food down, a disturbingly serious tone to his voice, "Let's not start bothering the ghosts again."

"Of course not," Sam waved him off, "I won't worry myself over it okay? Besides, there's other theories. Like the people left and lived with the natives from that time or that they migrated to another island or built their own ships. It's all relative, ya' know?"

"Yeah," Tucker still frowned slightly, though he did pick his food back up, "alright, I'll believe you for now…"

"What about?" Valerie huffed in, looking slightly out of breath and sat down to start eating her burger.

"Oh just an interesting theory Sam suddenly had," Tucker chuckled, "and she promised me to not bother the ghosts about it. I still don't believe her though."

"Ah," Valerie took a sip of coke, "So what was the theory?"

"Oh just that Pariah Dark sucked the town of Roanoke's inhabitants into the ghost zone some four hundred and something years ago," Sam laughed as she dug into her salad, "Doesn't that just explain everything?"

"Of course," Valerie agreed laughingly, "Blame it on ghosts."

The quip stung both of them, though they couldn't show it to her. She didn't know and she didn't mean it maliciously in any case. They simple smiled and bore it. As the three sat and ate, they also sat and thought. On school, on life, or in one case, on ghosts.

'Just because it's got to do with asking ghosts questions, they don't want me to even try to find out if Roanoke was drawn into the ghost zone,' Sam sighed and took another bite of lettuce, 'It doesn't really matter anyways…it'll just be something for fun.'

And with that thought firmly in mind, Sam turned her attention back to her friends and started a new conversation, all the while trying to ignore the tickle of interest in the back of her consciousness.


	3. Pondering

**Roanoke**  
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_A note_: Ah, see! I told you they'd start getting a bit longer. Anywho, this one's rather sad at the end. You'll find out a bit more about what's going on, and such, but I think it's only going to raise more questions. Enjoy!

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

**Chapter Three: Pondering**

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Sam couldn't get it off her mind and it was starting to show.

Three weeks down the road and she was still somehow stuck on the fact that the inhabitants had disappeared, even though there were several possibilities that stated the contrary…one of her favorite being the alien involvement theory.

Somehow though, the thought of ghostly involvement was never mentioned. Then again, most people didn't live in Amity Park, apparently the ghost capital of the world now. That probably helped to explain why people never mentioned ghosts.

They probably also didn't know about Pariah Dark as intimately as her hometown did. Most people probably thought the stories that were coming from Amity Park were rumors and made up events to up the town's attractiveness to tourists.

Of course, Sam laughed to herself, the word was slowly getting out…

A pair of tourists had been caught in a ghost fight that day, and were still feverishly thanking the three teens for saving them when they tried to leave. When asked where the ghosts came from, Tucker was the first to speak up.

"A couple of years ago," he started, a tad unsure as to what he should say exactly, "someone in the town invented a ghost portal…and it worked and started letting the ghosts out. It wasn't such a big deal when…Danny Phantom was around."

"Not like he was all that good," Valerie threw in, though she was content to let Tucker continue.

"Anyways, he's gone and now it's getting easier and easier for the ghosts to find ways past the security checks on the portal. They haven't been updated in so long…"

"They haven't been updated in so long that all the ghosts know how to get past them," Sam took over, "Not that there's very much to be done really…we've ran out of ways to keep them out."

"Why don't the owners of the portal just shut it down?" the tourists had asked.

"We're waiting for a miracle," Sam replied while Tucker nodded behind her. Valerie shook her head, as she had never understood what the two meant, and the tourists were simply confused. They went on their way a short time later as did Valerie.

Tucker was the one currently walking beside her, watching her face grow more and more serious as she thought, "Thinking about the portal?"

"Yes," she nodded, holding her books close to her body as though hugging them, "I know we have to shut it down eventually, but…"

"But what if Danny's in the ghost zone?" Tucker asked knowingly, "Sam, it's been two years…we can't always be here to protect the town, and I know that Mr. and Mrs. Fenton are good, but they aren't experienced like we are…"

"I know," Sam responded slowly, "but it seems like we're just going to give up hope."

"Sam," Tucker stopped and held her still with a hand on her shoulder, "We don't even know where Danny went. He could be anywhere, not just the ghost zone, and he may not even be alive anymore…"

"I don't want to hear that Tuck," she shook his hand off, "I don't care what you think, I want to keep on believing. I know we have to close it, but we aren't doing it until graduation. We agreed."

"I know," the boy stated in slight confusion and offense at her tone, "I never said anything about closing it earlier than that. What is up with you lately, you're more grumpy than usual and that's saying something."

"I'm not grumpy," Sam glowered, "I've just got a lot on my mind."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really…"

The pair continued their walk as Sam fell further and further into her own mind, desperately pushing aside thoughts of the coming of graduation, and thus the closing of the portal. Instead she began to focus more on her own personal theory involving the king of ghosts, 'It's plausible isn't it? I mean, sure there are some facts that point away from it being ghost involvement, but then, who's to say we really know what happened. It was four hundred years ago for goodness' sake!'

"Hey Sam," Tucker nervously paused in their walk, causing the girl to turn back to him, "Look, I'm sorry that I brought the portal up again. I know it's a sore subject."

With a soft sigh, she walked back to her best friend of years. She could read him like a book and knew true remorse when she saw it, even if it was misplaced, "It's fine Tucker, you didn't mean anything by it. I blew up and I shouldn't have. I've just been stressing out about this research project for history. I know we have all year to finish it, but with everything else that's going on, I'm afraid I won't get it done."

"You'll get it done no problem," Tucker laughed as he pushed her forwards again, "I'm already half done with mine, quotes and citations included, and I have a complete bibliography."

"We just got our assignments last week!" Sam gave the techno-whiz a disbelieving look, "How can you already have found fourteen reliable books, two encyclopedia articles, and four, dependable online sources?"

"I'm a genius, what can I say?" he laughed, then dodged the punch thrown his way by an irate Sam, "Alright, I confess, I started on the report over the summer…I heard rumors that Lancer gave out reports like this and I was planning on trading with whoever got my topic…it was sheer luck that I got the paper back!"

"That sounds more plausible…"

"Beware!"

"Aw man," Tucker removed his backpack and reached for his thermos, "What timing this guy has…"

"He's always had this timing," Sam rolled her eyes, then snatched the thermos from Tucker's hands, "I'll get him."

"Hey, that's my thermos," the boy pouted as he followed her towards the hovering ghost, "Use your own to catch him."

"Yours was already out," she retaliated, "and I don't want to catch him just yet…I have a question."

"Again Sam?"

"Again, puny human girl?"

"'Puny human girl' me one more time," she aimed the glowing thermos at the ghost threateningly, "and you'll get sucked up and left in this one to rot."

"Beware," the Box Ghost softly stated, his eyebrows raised, "What question is it that you, puny…eh, girl, wish to ask the almighty ruler of all things corrugated and cardboard?"

"Sam, you're really not going to start this again," Tucker looked at her pleading as she laughed.

"Relax, Tuck," she smiled, "I have a different question this time around. How much do you know about Pariah Dark?"

"The ghost king," the box ghosts looked slightly surprise and more than a little scared, "I only know about when he chased us away from our homes a few years ago…I wasn't around long enough to ever really know about him…but I don't really want to."

"Hm," she paused, considering her next question with the thermos still carefully aimed, "Okay, so which ghosts would be old enough to know about him?"

"Beware," he dramatically stated, more for the show of it than for intimidation by this point, "for you will have to go against much stronger ghosts for answers to your questions…"

"Like who," Tucker irritably interjected, not really understand why Sam was wanting to know, but trying to help her none-the-less.

"Skulker might know, or the Fright Knight," the box ghost paused to consider, "maybe even the ghost of time."

"Clockwork…" Sam moved the thermos as she thought and as soon as she did the box ghost took his chance.

"I'll be back!" and he was gone from sight, a loud laugh still ringing in his wake.

"You let him go!" Tucker accused as he moved to Sam to take back his thermos, "Why'd you let him go?"

"I didn't do it on purpose," Sam frowned and looked away, upset with herself for such a slip-up, "I was too busy thinking about how I could have missed that. Clockwork knows everything."

"No Sam," Tucker stated firmly, dead serious in his demeanor, "I know what you're thinking and we're not going to visit Clockwork, and you're definitely not going alone. Promise me."

"Fine, alright," she waved him off, "I promise, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to stop asking questions."

"Why are you suddenly so interested in Pariah Dark anyway?" Tucker looked askew at the girl, "The last time we talked about him was…," his eyes widened in realization, "You're doing your project on Roanoke on him aren't you?"

"On who?" Valerie landed beside them and switched back into her normal clothes, "Just caught the box ghost by the way…you two didn't see him?"

"I accidentally let him go," Sam frowned, "He told me something that made me think."

"The box ghost?" Valerie looked at her friend incredulously, "He said something that made you think? Are you sure you didn't mean 'he said something that made me confused'?"

Tucker just laughed. Sam didn't find it amusing.

"Ow, Sam, why'd you kick my shin?" Tucker pouted rubbing the forming bruise gently.

"Because I'm not about to kick a ninth degree black belt, that's why," she answered smartly, "Now back to the other topic…I have this theory about Roanoke…that it didn't just vanish, it was sucked into the ghost zone by Pariah Dark."

"Why would you care about that?" Valerie looked confused, "I'm the one doing the report on ghosts thanks to your doodles. Besides, you have tons of actual research, all I have so far are myth hunters and crazies' ideas…the one exception being my stuff from the Fentons and that file that Tucker found for me."

The three silently agreed that they weren't going to make it home without anymore interruptions and headed straight for the Nasty Burger. On their way they chatted about their projects; "You're already halfway done!?" , "I can't help it if I'm a geniu-ouch!", "Wow, that's what I did when he said that…", and then talked a bit about Sam's theory; "You're nuts!" , "It is plausible…", "It's just for fun guys, no big deal."

The evening was enjoyable and Sam felt slightly better with a few names in her mind for her to question when she got the chance. The other two just ignored her behavior. It would pass, just like it had before, and things would be normal again…or at least as normal as they ever were these days.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"I've heard that the young, pale human has been asking things she shouldn't," the annoying, nasally voice boomed over the newly acquired speakers. Technus had always been a pain, but when he was acting smug it was ten times worse.

"Pale?" Valerie scoffed on Sam's behalf, "Have you looked in a mirror lately?"

"Why no, I haven't," the ghost paused, "Should I?"

"No, you'd end up breaking it," Sam folded her arms, "Look I just want to ask one question and then we can get on with beating the daylights out of one another like normal."

"Fine," Technus folded his arms as he floated above them, "Then ask."

"What do you know about Pariah Dark?"

Tucker and Valerie rolled their eyes at the now familiar question. Sam had interrogated every ghost they had come across for the last month including the box ghost, Youngblood, a few new ghosts they had never met before and even Poindexter. All of them had information, but weren't old enough to know what Sam wanted. Technus proved no help either.

As the two listened to the long winded speech the technology ghost had launched into, both began to think back on another time when things had gone like this…only it had been far more frenzied and violent.

'Just like Sophomore year,' Valerie shook her head, 'After Danny went missing she was always after all the ghosts and asking them questions. I never really understood why she cared all that much, other than the fact that Phantom went missing right before Danny did…which never really made any sense to me. There hadn't been ghost attacks for nearly a week before Danny was gone, and that's how long Phantom had been missing. Hopefully this is just Sam's way of getting all that off her mind and really getting into her project…'

The talking was becoming so monotonous that even Sam's attention was starting to wane.

'Geeze,' Tucker rolled his eyes as Technus babbled on, 'He couldn't get anymore boring if he tried. I really hope that she stops soon. If she doesn't, it'll be like Sophomore year again, and the ghosts will start getting annoyed, and then they'll be even more grumpy than usual. I hate this…last time she almost got killed ten or fifteen times before we could convince her to stop talking to them and just catch them…how many near death experiences will it take this time?'

Both Tucker and Valerie sighed as the Technus launched into some other tale about his participation in the battle against Pariah Dark when Danny Phantom lead them. Tucker stiffened at this and decided it was time to stop. More talking about Danny would just get Sam thinking about it again. Sam thinking about it again would do more harm than good.

'It's a shame that Danny had finally gotten it through their heads that the town was off limit,' Tucker sighed as he stood from the seat he had taken on the wooden crates in the storeroom they were in, 'We had a whole week of peace and then he disappeared…'

"Hey, Technus," the boy stretched and pushed his glasses more firmly against his face, "do you think we can actually get started or do you want to spend the rest of our night talking?"

"If fighting is what you want boy," the energy began to gather around him, "then it is what you shall receive!"

And the fight was on, just like every other fight for the past two years. Only this time, one of them wasn't running. Sam didn't feel like she had to run anymore.

Tucker was running for her.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

That night she sat alone in her room, just like all the other lonely nights. She had done her homework, her phone was on and charging, her shower was done and her clothes were changed. She had already chatted with Valerie and Tucker. She had already talked with her grandmother and spent the obligatory twenty minutes with her parents.

Now she just sat.

'This is pathetic,' Sam picked at a piece of string coming loose from the edge of her comforter, 'I used to go out all the time, to the Nasty Burger, to the mall, wherever… now all I want to do is stay home unless Tuck or someone drags me out.'

"I'm pathetic," the girl fell back into her pillows and closed her eyes, "I'm home on a Friday night, alone, already a fourth of the way done with my history report that isn't due until the end of the year. I've finished all my homework that's been given to me, even if it's not due until next Friday, and I've read so many books I could probably give the librarian a run for her money."

'I just wish I could find a ghost old enough who knows about Pariah Dark's history, or a ghost that at least knows more about him than he's the king of ghosts and is to be feared,' a frown graced her features suddenly, 'And if one more ghosts brings up the fact that Danny fighting him was the most they know about him, I swear I'll find a way to permanently get rid of them…'

'I just wish I could find some proof,' she gently chuckled to herself as she imagined Tucker's disapproving frown or Valerie shaking her head, 'I really am getting obsessed with this…they're both probably thinking I'm nuts and are worried about me.'

A sad sigh slipped past her lips as she turned on her side and hugged a pillow, 'I'm acting like I was after Danny went missing. Asking questions and being stupid. Just what I need…a new image; Sam the stupid one.'

With another soft sigh, her eyelashes fluttered gently against her cheeks as thoughts about her last school year fluttered against her mind. Memories of before and after, thoughts on the future, thoughts on the present.

'Just like Clockwork,' she laughed. Her thoughts eventually headed back to her latest past time and she seriously considered whether or not Pariah Dark could have been the cause of the missing colony, 'I guess I can keep asking questions until the end of the semester, maybe Desiree will show up. She's old enough to know something. Then I'll get to work on the paper for real. No more ghosts, no more worrying, and…'

Sam choked slightly on the thought before she got it out, "…and no more portal, which means it's all been real and Danny's really gone."

That night Sam cried as she tried to fall asleep. It wasn't the first time, but no one ever needed to know that.

Jazz had talked about the four stages of grieving and how it was healthy to grieve even though it wasn't certain where Danny went. She'd already been through anger. Bargaining happened early for her, too. Now she was stuck in denial.

But the worst part was, she knew it. She wouldn't let herself move on to acceptance, not until every last doubt had been washed from her mind that he was coming back. That's why they were closing the portal at the end of their senior year. That's why they were waiting…all because of Sam.

'Just because I'm too stubborn and stupid to just give up,' the tears slowed, leaving a sore feeling in her eyes and a strong need to sleep it all away, 'I'd never close the portal if I could…as long as we don't know…'

But she understood why they had to. They weren't going to be there to fight. They'd leave the town defenseless if they did. As much as she desperately wanted to leave the town and forget it and the blue-eyed boy ever existed just so the pain would stop…she couldn't even begin to think of closing off the portal. Of admitting defeat.

Of admitting that her Danny was really gone…and never going to come back.


	4. Delve and Dive

**Roanoke**  
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_A note_: Okay, so here's where I've been. I'm re-writing LITC to make it safe for children, and my grandfather who wants to read it (insert big smile here), and I got my vaccinations to go to Japan. And I had a reaction to them. Not sure which one it was, since I had FOUR of them…and they all hurt. And made me sick. But I'm better now!

Anywho, this is just a roundabout way to get to an apology. I really have been so very bad about updating. Sorry, sorry, sorry! It's extra long to make up for it, and has a tiny Princess Bride reference in it. Ten points to those of you who spot it! Now, on with the story!

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

**Chapter Four: Delve and Dive**

.o.O.o.o.O.o.  
Monday, 4:56 PM  
.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Sam, this questioning has got to stop," Tucker worked his way out of the pile of trash that had been dumped over him, "I'm getting really tired of you being distracted and me ending up paying for it."

"I never asked for you to push me out of the way," Sam groused back at the young man, "I knew she was going to dump all that on me, and you never saw me complaining when these sort of things _used _to happen to me."

"C'mon guys, that's enough," Valerie landed, her suit retracting as she stretched the soreness out of her shoulder, "We don't need to be fighting _after_ we fight."

"Sorry Val," Tucker moved over to take a look at her arm, "How bad is it?"

"Not bad," she shook her head, "No need to look at it."

"Sure Val," Sam walked over and gently prodded her injury, causing a hiss of pain from the huntress, "Sounds like you're perfectly fine to me."

"Thank you Ms. Obvious," Valerie pulled down her sleeve to reveal an already forming bruise, "Remind me why we're friends again?"

"Because she is Sam," Tucker laughed as he reached for his discarded backpack, "Sam is the only one who never gets flustered in a bad situation and always has a quick, sarcastic wit to keep us on our toes. She is the needed 'level head' in our little group."

"Yeah well, the 'level head' Sam can bite my…"

"Hey now," Sam smirked, "no need to get testy just because I was right. You just needed some help admitting it."

"Gee, thanks for causing me pain," Valerie stuck out her tongue, then smiled gently, "Really though, you are the most level headed of us, though I don't know some days, what with the two crazies you've befriended."

"You forget," Sam smiled sadly, "There are three crazies that I've befriended."

"Yeah," Tucker laughed as he began to rub a pain relieving cream on Valerie's shoulder, "Danny was always the craziest out of all of us."

"Danny?" Valerie asked in confusion, "He never seemed like the type…"

"Trust me, he was," Sam smiled fondly at some memory or other, and for a second Valerie and Tucker had hope. Hope that she was getting over it, moving on, doing better. But as soon as the light came into her eyes, it went back out and Sam shook her head, "He's crazier than you know."

"So," Tucker broke the silence that had settled as he finished working on Valerie's shoulder, "Did I get trash dumped on my head for no reason, or did you find out something useful to your little side-research?"

"Your oh so chivalrous sacrifice was not in vain," Sam rolled her eyes, "I actually found out a bit more that went along with the research I've done for my actual paper."

"Anything that I can use in my report?" the other girl asked hopefully.

"Nope," she shook her head, "This is specifically dealing with Pariah Dark. Apparently, when he was younger…if ghosts can be 'younger', anyways, he always tried to make disappearances look as if they weren't his fault. He also had help."

"Why?" Tucker asked in stark disbelief, "Wasn't he the most powerful ghost that ever was?"

"Yeah," Sam said, "but every one has to start somewhere."

"Yeah, like Sam says," Valerie helped Sam out as Tucker started to look confused, "You can't just start out at the top, you have to work your way up. Like in martial arts, you start at the very beginning, then work your way to being a black belt, then to being different ranks of black belts."

"What she's saying is," Tucker laughed as he supposedly 'translated' the girl's small explanation, "she really just wants to brag some more about becoming a ninth degree black belt and earning the title of 'Grandmaster'."

"Oh yes," Valerie hit Tucker over the head with the first aide kit he had brought out, "I just love bragging."

"Hey, the sarcasm is Sam's department."

"Anyways, you guys," Sam cut in before they could begin bickering again, "He used to make it look like something more…natural happened, with the help of another ghost. I'll bet it was Fright Knight who helped him do that stuff..."

"Like?" Tucker wondered, prodding the younger girl for more information.

"Like certain evidence that framed other humans or nature itself was always left," Sam helped Valerie up as Tucker finished packing, "Wars that would lead to disappearances, natural disasters, stuff like that. In my research I found that several people think that the town's disappearance had something to do with the Native Americans that lived in the area. The name of the tribe was carved on a fencepost. It just makes sense with Pariah 'framing' others."

"And you got all that out of that Desiree ghost?"

"She is a wishing ghost Val," Tucker chuckled, "Sam probably just wished that she would tell her what she knew about Pariah Dark."

"Oh," Valerie frowned as they made their way through the park, "Then why is she so hard to catch? Can't we just wish her back into the thermos?"

"She made a new rule for herself," Sam viciously kicked at a piece of trash, before stooping to pick it up and throw it away, "She only grants wishes that don't involve thermoses…"

.o.O.o.o.O.o.  
Monday, 5:15 PM  
.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"You know, I've never really asked you or Sam," Valerie looked up from her soda to see Tucker with his hamburger halfway to his mouth. She smiled and decided it could wait a moment, "Finish your burger first and then I'll ask."

"Mmm…no, just," Tucker swallowed and sat his burger down, "There, just ask. This seems important, the burger can wait."

"Well," she hurriedly looked over her shoulder, finding Sam still standing in line for a strawberry milkshake, "I never questioned why you and Sam know so much about the ghosts. Why you know how to fight them and aren't afraid of them like most people are…You were able to get me all that information, and I know you got it from Danny's room. I'm pretty smart and it's not that hard to put two and two together."

Tucker shifted uncomfortably, suddenly glad that Sam was away from the table, "Well…"

"I'm just curious," Valerie laughed at his nervous gestures, "What, were you two like secret ghost hunters or something?"

"Funny you should say that," the boy took his beret off, ran a hand across the top of his hair, then replaced it resolutely, "There weren't just _two _ghost hunters."

"Oh…" Valerie's eyebrows shot up, then slammed back down, "Wait, Danny was terrified of ghosts. He ran away screaming every time he saw one…I even saved him a couple of times."

"It was an act."

'Oh thank God,' Tucker looked up to find Sam standing behind their booth, 'She'll get us out of it…'

"He did a good job acting then," Valerie moved over to make room for Sam, but the girl remained standing, a strange look coming over her face. With a glance to Tucker, who just shrugged, Sam nodded to herself.

"He got really good at it," the girl started cautiously, "Let's just say there were a lot of things about Danny that only a few people knew. He's the bravest person I've ever met."

"Could have fooled me…"

"And he did," Tucker nodded, his serious expression throwing Valerie for a loop, "You and his parents. He didn't want them to know what he was doing. They would have…made a big deal out of it."

"He was a really good fighter, too," Sam added, "He probably could have given you a run for your money if the two of you ever went full out."

"You're kidding me," Valerie looked between her two friends, "Danny Fenton, the boy who constantly got shoved into lockers?"

"Yeah," Tucker lost himself for a moment in reminiscing, "you wouldn't believe some of the stuff he faced…daily even."

'At least we're not telling any lies,' Sam sighed as she got ready to sit down, 'We're just omitting some really important details is all.'

Valerie was silent for a few minutes, content to just mull the new information over and sip at her soda. Tucker went back to eating, and Sam finally sat down to enjoy her drink. The more Valerie thought, though, the more certain pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

"He supported that ghost kid, Phantom, didn't he?" The question came out of nowhere and caught both Tucker and Sam off guard. Of course, the next question didn't help either, "You think some ghost might have dragged him into the ghost zone, huh? That's why you two don't want to close the portal yet…"

"Yeah, to both questions," Tucker nodded, pushing his meal aside, 'Wow, not hungry now…'

Sam said nothing.

"You think you know someone," Valerie sighed, "Why didn't he ever tell me?"

"How much did you despise Phantom?" Sam spoke down to her drink, not daring to raise her head to the girl next to her, lest she read something in her eyes, "How much did you hate ghosts? How often did you let that get in the way of your…relationship with Danny?"

"Look," Valerie turned sharply then, "We were only fourteen, silly freshmen. I hate ghosts, yeah, but look at all the trouble they cause. I hated Phantom, but look at what he did to my life…"

"It wasn't him!" Sam shot back, grabbing her drink and holding it so tightly that she crushed the cup slightly, "If you'd ever stop for five seconds and just listen to people when they try to explain things, you'd know that by now!"

"He _ruined_ my _life_!"

"He _protected _everyone and you _never _gave him a chance!"

"Hey!" Tucker finally got up the nerve to interject, "Chill, both of you. Seriously, what's with you two all of a sudden?"

"I'm sorry," Sam took a shaky breath and willed herself to cool off. It was no use fighting with a friend, "I've just had a rough couple of days…I didn't mean to take it out on you Val."

A tight smile passed between the girls as Valerie sipped at her soda again. Tucker just sat nervously and watched the two, waiting for another explosion. He got one, but it was more his own brain exploding than the two girls.

"I was immature," Valerie finally admitted, "and I wanted to blame my bad luck on something. I didn't care what the truth was, I didn't care if he was innocent or not, I just wanted to take my frustration out on something. Phantom was the first and easiest target."

"That's understandable," Tucker tried to help the situation along, "we were all immature then."

He then proceeded to flick a spitball at Sam's face. It stuck to her cheek and all she could do was glare furiously, "Right, because you're soooo mature now."

It finally fell off and all three friends began to laugh, silently albeit, but at least they were laughing. Valerie looked between the worn out Sam and the strained Tucker and came up short with yet another realization.

"He was your friend wasn't he?"

"Who?" Tucker looked confused for a moment, then managed to retrace the conversation in his mind, "Oh, you mean Phantom?"

"Yeah," Valerie heaved another sigh, then pushed her soda away and lay her head on the table. Another day, another reason to feel five years older and a thousand years more tired, "You three were friends with him…I'm so stupid, why didn't I realize it sooner?"

"Stop beating yourself up Valerie," Sam leaned back into the booth's support, "I'm not going to give you a pity party, and it's not like we advertised the fact. Yes we were friends with him, no you didn't know, big deal."

"That's why you always hated me…"

"Well that, and the fact that she liked Danny…"

"Tucker…" Sam shot him a warning glare.

"A lot…"

"_Tucker_…" the glare turned into a growl.

"Probably was in love with him, even at that age."

"_Tucker_, you have a death wish!"

"Besides," Valerie waved them both off, "that much was obvious. Sam's right though, I'm not gonna' just apologize. It's over and done with and there's nothing we can do about any of it now."

Silence descended on the little group as Valerie's last sentenced replayed in their minds.

"Well," Sam cleared her throat as she stood, "I've got to get home…lots of homework tonight. See you two later…"

She turned around and was out the door before Tucker could even open his mouth. Both teens stared at her retreating form, both sadly tracing her gait with knowing eyes.

"Sorry," Valerie said to the air as she watched Sam walk away, hunched over a bit as if to protect herself from…something, "I didn't mean it that way…"

"She knows," Tucker reached across the table and gently patted her hand, bringing the girl's attention back to him, "just give her time."

"Does it ever stop hurting Tucker?"

"No, but it doesn't mean that it won't hurt less as time goes on."

Valerie took a moment to digest this, then laughed gently, "When did you get so wise?"

"When Jazz had to leave and I bought stock in the fortune cookie company."

"Thank God some things never change, Tucker," Valerie smiled softly over at him, "If you ever stopped being immature, I think I just might die of shock."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.  
Thursday, 5:45 PM  
.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"This is Harriet Chin, interrupting your normal broadcast for late breaking information," Sam's head shot up as she heard her television turn from a late evening television show to Amity Parks local news station, "All citizens in Amity Park are asked to take cover at this time, as a rather powerful ghost has been spotted in the vicinity. On location is Lance Thunder. Lance?"

"Thank you Harriet," the blonde reporter quickly turned to look over his shoulder as the Fright Knight barreled into view, heading directly towards Axion Labs' rivals in business, "As you can see the Ghost Knight has once again returned to wreck havoc on our town. Currently, he has only been spotted on the north side of town, but citizens are cautioned to remain indoors until further notice is given. At the moment, the ghost seems content to tear apart Trebus Incorporated…"

"Wonder why," Sam rolled her eyes, "Oh wait, maybe it's because Vlad owns Axion Labs, Trebus has been outdoing them, and he oh so conveniently has Fright Knight under his control…"

She slammed her feet into her boots, snatching up her cell phone as soon as it started to ring, and headed down the stairs, ignoring staff and parents alike in favor of making it to the door and talking to her friend, "Yeah Val, I heard. I'm on my way there now. Uh huh…good."

"Samantha? Won't you stay in tonight?" her mother cajoled, "I've had the cook whip us up a wonderful vegetarian lasagna…"

"Hold on a sec Valerie," she turned to her mother then with a small smile. She had to admit, her parents had been trying the past year or so, "I'll be home by seven Mom, I promise, I just have to pick something up for my project from Valerie and I'll be straight home."

"Oh, but Sammie, Valerie Gray lives on the other side of town!" Pam Manson fretted slightly, "At least let Alfonse drive you…"

"No thanks, I need to walk," and she was back on the phone and out the door before her mother could protest anymore, or find out about the ghost attack, "Sorry Valerie, like I said I'm on my way."

The young woman snapped her cell phone shut and broke into a sprint, making good time across downtown and cutting through the school yard to make it to the back parking lot of Trebus Incorporated. Valerie was already there, locked in battle with the ghost, and the news crew was no where to be seen.

The fight was fast paced and as Sam pulled up even with their shadows Valerie was obviously loosing. A feint on Fright Knight's part had Valerie off balance, and as soon as he saw his opportunity, he struck her hover board, slicing off the front end and sending the girl plummeting to earth.

The landing was hard and had Valerie more than disoriented. She shakily made it to her knees before she had to stop moving, a hand to her head as she tried to quell the sudden nausea and dizziness. Sam was at her side in a heartbeat, standing over her protectively as the ghost landed a few meters in front of her. Valerie wretched and prayed for the world to stop spinning.

"Stand aside, lady, I have no quarrel with thee or thy friend, the huntress," Fright Knight lowered his sword, wearily watching the young woman, "I simply wish to do my master's bidding and be done."

"You've already wrecked the building enough that they'll be out of business for days," Sam responded sharply, "and besides that, if you had no quarrel with Valerie, then why fight her?"

"Orders are orders," he replied tersely, "I was told to destroy the building and let no being, living or otherwise, stop me from doing so. The huntress interfered. I simply did as my lord wished."

'Okay, I don't have a thermos, Valerie is down, and Tucker isn't here yet,' Sam suddenly understood the term 'sweating bullets' as she tried to work out a plan. She normally had a thermos on her, but hers had been damaged in the last fight. Tucker was currently trying to repair it and had the only working one, 'I have to stall until Tuck gets here…that's it!'

"Leave now and I shall spare thee," the ghost politely inclined his head, then curiously watched as Sam stepped closer, "Art thou not afraid?"

"Terrified," Sam replied honestly, "but I want to ask you a question."

"I have not the time."

"I just wanted to know if you helped Pariah Dark pull a small colony called Roanoke into the ghost zone about four hundred years ago…" Her palms were so sweaty she wasn't sure how she was able to hold onto her cell phone and her body was more tense than it ever had been. No way to protect herself, no way to protect Valerie, and here she was possibly pissing off a very powerful ghost, 'What I wouldn't do for a pumpkin right now…'

"T'was not I who helped Pariah Dark obtain that territory," the echoing voice shocked Sam back out of her thoughts as the ghost suddenly looked upwards, as if reminiscing, "I had yet to come into his service. The ghost that helped Pariah Dark t'was clever and strong indeed, though lacked the capability to completely pull the town to Pariah's domain. It was not one of his powers."

"Do you know who the ghost was?"

Here it was, the answer to one of her biggest questions concerning her research. She now knew that Pariah had something to do with it, or at least it was confirmed by the Fright Knight and Desiree. She knew that someone helped him to do it, that much was confirmed by the two ghosts as well. Now all she needed to know was _who_ did it and she'd be satisfied, 'At least I can solve one mystery involving disappearances…'

"I did not know the ghost's name, nor had I happened upon him before in my travels, nor did I ever chance to be met by him again in all my years," Fright Knight looked straight into Sam's eyes and shivers wracked her body, "He does resemble another ghost that now haunts this plane."

"Who?" Sam was burning for the answer now, though the back of her mind was buzzing incessantly about danger and being _absolutely too close_ to the ghost and his sword, 'At least we're away from Valerie…'

Before he could even open his mouth to reply, a thunderous noise was heard as the Fenton RV plowed through the rubble created by the partially collapsed building. The tires squealed as the vehicle pulled up short and the Fenton matriarch and patriarch tumbled out, guns at the ready.

"Hold it right there ghost!" Maddie let off a warning shot, forcing Fright Knight to back away from the two girls, "Stay away from Sam and the other girl or you'll be missing a few limbs!"

"Hot," Jack mumbled distractedly as he watched his wife, before the pressing matter at hand worked back into his conscious mind and he swiveled back around to face his opponent, "Get ready to be destroyed ghost, I'll enjoy taking you apart!"

"Oh dear Jack," another voice echoed around them as Sam watched Fright Knight kneel, "The only taking apart to be enjoyed is my taking you apart, I'm afraid."

'Vlad,' Sam's heart nearly stopped at the sound of his voice. If she had been terrified before, then there were no words to describe her feelings now. For the past two years Vlad Masters had been showing up more and more frequently. For the past two years his attacks on the Fentons had become more and more vicious. For the past two years it had taken everything that she, Valerie, and Tucker had to keep him from actually harming Jack.

'It was just a trap,' Sam realized as she looked between Fright Knight and the Fentons, 'It was all just to lure them out! It didn't have anything to do with Trebus beating Axion…'

Vlad Plasmius appeared in all his glory as soon as Sam had had her realization, hovering over their heads ominously as he nodded coolly to his lackey, "You've done well. Return to the castle and stay there until you are notified of my return."

"As you wish."

"The Wisconsin Ghost," both Fentons ground out angrily. Since Danny had gone missing, his frequent appearances had become more than obvious, and in their minds the two were linked. This ghost had taken their child from them. Their hatred for this, and all other ghosts, had increased exponentially as a result and the battles were always fierce.

"Plasmius!" Sam ran a few paces to the side as she yelled. She had to get his attention off of them for a few moments more. Tucker was probably a half block away by now, 'Why does he half to live completely across town from here!?'

"Samantha," Vlad swooped down, delivering a fake bow as he landed before her, "To what do I owe the honor of your presence?"

"You stay away from her," Maddie darted forward, meaning to deliver a vicious kick to the ghost's head, but he moved back from her range quickly. The older woman positioned herself in front of Sam, "Don't come another step closer."

"Oh but dearest," he purred, his eyes glowing wickedly, "I'm sure you don't want to challenge me."

"Stay away from my wife, ghost," Jack Fenton fired off three rounds, none of them effectively hitting their target. Vlad was enraged, but in his anger he had made two mistakes.

The first was coming into sharp focus as he found a gun he had personally designed firmly planted against the back of his head. He had been worked around so his back was to Valerie Gray, his one time pawn, and was now paying the price of underestimating the injured girl's willpower.

As the trigger was being squeezed, all his power was thrown into moving around quickly enough to disarm the girl. The blast was fired, grazing his cheek and leaving an angry red furrow in its path. Valerie was once again slammed into the ground.

"Pathetic," he growled out, determined to kill every one of them, with the sole exception of his fiery Maddie, for their impudence.

"Yeah, pathetic," a third male voice was heard as a light hum signaled a thermos charging, "Would you really allow yourself to get sucked into a thermos?"

"Don't think this is over," Vlad faded from sight, his voice fading as well, "We're just getting started…"

Five people stared in shock at the place where the elder halfa had disappeared from. None dared to move, each thinking it was some dangerous trick to pull them off balance. That he would strike at any second. Ten seconds passed and nothing happened.

Thirty seconds came and went and still no attack was launched.

"He must have decided he didn't like brushes with death…uh, re-death…" Valerie struggled to push herself up as she tried not to laugh. She was feeling light headed, nauseous, dizzy, and a tad loony. She had no doubt that she at the least had a concussion.

"He's smart," Maddie holstered her gun at her hip and began to survey the damage as Jack moved to her side, ever protective of his precious wife.

"Tucker, I swear," Sam kicked the boy firmly in the shin, "if you ever take so long to get here again, I'll kill you myself!"

"It's across town Sam!" the boy yelled back, even as they both moved to assist Valerie, "Unlike some people, across town in ten minutes just isn't possible."

"Please stop yelling," Valerie held her head, wincing as she shifted, "I don't feel very good."

"Understatement of the year," Sam knelt behind her and eased the other girl back into her embrace, "Relax Valerie, just breath like normal and let me hold you up, okay? Do you think you can retract your suit?"

The huntress didn't even try to answer as she simply did as she was asked. The skin tight suit disappeared and it was suddenly much easier to breath. Tucker looked her over and moved to take off one of her shoes. The ankle was swelling rapidly, but not as quickly as her bruises were forming.

"You're lucky you're alive," he gently scolded her, "Next time wait until we're all here, especially if it's a higher level ghost."

"Whatever," she weakly shot back, smiling as she saw the grins that split her friends' faces. If she was well enough to joke around, then she was probably fine.

"Are you kids alright?" Jack's voice wasn't quite so loud as normal as he walked to them, Maddie running back from their RV with first aide kit in hand, "You're eyes look dilated. Are you sleepy? Dizzy?"

"Very dizzy," Valerie nodded her head slowly, "and very sleepy."

"Concussion," Maddie cut in concisely, quickly taking control of the situation, "You need to stay awake Valerie. Tucker that's your job, make sure she doesn't fall asleep. Jack, call an ambulance please, I don't want to move her anymore than we have. It could aggravate her injuries. Oh, and call her father too. Sam I don't want you to move an inch. Hold her up, I think it's helping her breath."

Sam and Tucker nodded and set about their appointed tasks as Jack called the emergency number. Sam sat taking it all in as Jack hovered and Maddie cleaned what she could. The ambulance arrived in ten minutes. Damien Gray made it in three. Tucker pestered and bothered Valerie the entire time, though it did keep her awake.

Protests of "I'm fine Dad," and rebuttals of "I'm never letting you do this again," were thrown back and forth as the medics checked Valerie over. She was loaded up, but not before the a general statement was given to her nervously waiting friends.

"She's fine, just a really bad concussion, tons of bruises and cuts, and a badly sprained ankle," he smiled gently, finding relief in their relief, "We're taking her in to treat her minor injuries and monitor her head injury for twenty four hours. Standard procedure."

And they were gone, leaving four to stand in the ruined parking lot.

"We're going to head out too kids," Maddie patted Tucker fondly on the shoulder, then hugged him gently, "You two get home and be careful."

"Tell your parents hello," Jack called cheerfully as he gunned the engine, "Ready Maddie?"

"Ready," and with a quick hug to Sam and a motherly smoothing of the girl's mussed hair she was off.

And they were gone, leaving two to stand in the ruined parking lot.

"I have to get back," Tucker looked over the curiously quiet Sam, "I promised my Mom I wouldn't stay out late tonight."

When all he got was a head nod and a quite, "See you tomorrow," he too went on his way, worrying the entire time about the two special girls in his life.

And he was gone, leaving one to stand in the ruined parking lot.

Sam looked at the stars, then at the torn up ground, then at the decimated building. Then across the town, out past the hills, tracing the roads with her eyes. Her eyes fell on the bank across the street, the scrolling marquee announcing the time to be 6:42 PM, the temperature at a comfortable 76 degrees Fahrenheit.

She had fifteen minutes to be home, give or take and she had the strongest urge to run…"I'm always running now…and I hate it," …but she did anyways. All the way to her house where she was going to enjoy veggie lasagna with both her parents. Where she was going to forget everything that was bothering her for just one night, because she so desperately needed to.

And she was gone, leaving no one to stand in the ruined parking lot.

But only because he didn't have to stand. No, not unless he actually wanted to…but really it only wasted his time. It was only 6:43 PM in the year 2008, and he had arrived only a minute before and stood watching her and listening to her odd statement. Still, he had much to do, and always so little time to do it in…it was best he set about his business…she would be the last on his list for the night, so it was best to devote as little time as he could to pondering her behavior…


	5. Determinations

**Roanoke**  
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_A note_: Man I wrote a lot in the past couple of days…oh well, therapy for the soul as it were…I even worked on the third chapter of CR and it's starting to come along. Hopefully I'll convince myself to finish it soon, lol.

First italicized part is a flashback that takes place right before the end of last chapter. Hope that isn't too confusing. Yay! We're finally going to start something in this chapter…We're on our way to finding out what's going on…Hope you enjoy and lots of love to everyone! Oh and not edited, so if you see any mistakes, just let me know...

Oh! And kudos points to those of you who found the tiny Princess Bride reference in Fright Knight's line, "As you wish," are as follows:  
Chaotic Pink Chocobo (who had a very close guess)

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

**Chapter Five: Determinations**

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

'_Go back,' the voice requested as a scene flashes in front of his eyes. A woman in a blue jumpsuit, a man in orange. A girl with violet eyes, a girl in a suit made of technology, and a boy running up behind a man with wicked, red eyes, 'Show me this again.'_

_News had been flowing around the ghost zone for days, or years, or maybe it was just minutes now, about the girl that used to follow the halfa. The girl that had, two years ago, apparently lost her mind and began desperately questioning any ghost who had ever come in contact with the halfa. She was determined to find him, but none that she asked ever knew._

_They'd fight of course, but she somehow could work a bit of questioning into their meetings every time. Apparently she was doing this again._

_Word had reached him as he traveled and labored, worked and moved. He wanted to know, and right now was doing something he wasn't allowed. He was watching and someone would not be pleased if they found out._

_He just chuckled, because it didn't matter. He already knew most of what might happen, or what could happen, or what would happen…  
__And honestly he was really getting tired of it._

_He wanted a night off, sometime to himself, which he hadn't had for years, or minutes, or centuries depending on how you looked at it. He had learned that early on…_

_That's when he decided, as he watched the scene once more, that's what made him want to go and visit all the people that were playing out life before him. Oh, how jealous he was at times. They were allowed to play life out…not to play life like he had to. That was one thing he hated._

_But tonight, he'd just send himself to the year 2008. A Thursday as it was, at 6:42 PM. It wouldn't necessarily be pleasant, but at least it would be something different.  
__Something familiar._

_Something he might not regret, which was not a luxury he had any longer._

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Tired…" Sam moaned as she finally pulled herself towards bed that night. The fight had been draining, both physically and emotionally. They were lucky that Valerie only had a concussion and would be released tomorrow. Hopefully nothing too major would happen before she had a chance to heal. It was looking like she and Tucker would be on double duty for the next couple of days.

Dinner was the high point of her evening, and she smiled to herself at that thought. Vegetable lasagna with her parents was something she could get used to. They had actually both sat down with her to eat, commenting on the fact that the vegetables definitely lent a flavor that could rival the normal beef lasagna they were used to.

That had elicited a tired smile from her, and conversation had actually proceeded from there. Sure, it had only taken her best friend's disappearance, strange behavior on her part, and two years for her parents to reach this point, but at least it had happened. Sam was starting to learn to look for the little things to be thankful for in life.

'Mixed blessings,' she sighed as she started to change into her pajamas. Tomorrow was going to be here before she was ready for it, and with it came school, 'At least it's a Friday…'

Her cell phone began to ring and nearly vibrated itself off her bedside table before she managed to get to it. She made quite the picture, hopping around her bed halfway into her sleeping shorts, barely managing to snatch the offending phone before it fell.

"Of course it's Tuck," Sam groused, even as she answered, "If you tell me it's a ghost that we need to go take care of, I think I'll scream. Then you can explain to my parents why I'm having a mental breakdown."

"Nice way to greet your best friend," came the tired reply, "Seriously though, don't scream…"

"So, it is a ghost?" She was just too tired, so damn tired, and she really just wanted to get a good night's sleep. Not to mention wanting to finish pulling on her clothes, which she hurriedly did.

"Yes and no…"

"Tucker," she was growing impatient. If there was a ghost, she needed to know now so it could be taken care of. If there wasn't then he needed to get off the phone and let her sleep, 'He better not be trying to be funny.'

"It's just weird," Tucker started, a rapid tapping in the background signifying that he was doing something on his computer, "You know how we rigged up all those ghost locators around town and in all our homes and stuff?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Valerie's went off at her house, then about two minutes later, her personal one at the hospital went off. I called her, and she said she hadn't seen anything, but was watching. It disappeared from there about thirty minutes after it appeared. Several places across town went off, like the school, Nasty Burger, the one in the park, and then mine started going off."

"Is everything okay?" she started to worry and reached for her boots, ready to slip into them and head over to help him out.

"That's the funny part," Tucker chuckled as his chair squeaked, signifying he was leaning away from the computer and rubbing his eyes tiredly, "it just stuck around here for about thirty or so minutes. I was poking around the whole time, trying to talk whatever it was out, and all I got was a chuckle right before it left."

"Ominous chuckle, or friendly?" Sam hated it when they played games, and oh how ghosts loved to play games.

"Friendly, actually," the young man continued, "I'm not entirely sure though. Hey, wait a second okay?"

She heard the phone get put down, and began to nervously fiddle with her boots. She had always been so sure of herself and calm and collected in any situation. She even appeared to be that way more so now, but honestly she never felt confident anymore. She always felt like something was going to happen…she was really just waiting for the bogeyman to jump her…

"Still there?"

The sudden question caught her off guard and she fumbled with her phone for a second before she got out a quick, "Yep."

"Okay, so the ghost just set off the one at the Fenton's house. It's still there, but nothing is happening, no spike in ectoplasmic energies on the readout or anything. It's just like it's visiting places all over town."

"You don't think it's Vlad do you?" she shifted uncomfortably, pulling a pillow to her chest, "I mean, it's gone to see Valerie, you, and the Fentons…"

"Yeah, but no attacks, and it's been several other places," the silence stretched for a moment before his voice came back on, "Maybe it's just some ghost that used to live here and is having a look around…"

"We've never had that happen before," Sam shook her head, "Tucker, we've had ghosts in this town for a little over three years now and nothing like this has ever been…"

"But," Tucker cut her off, "We had Danny as our only ghost detection…maybe we just never knew before. These are relatively new machines."

"Maybe," Sam got out. Tucker kept typing and she kept hugging her pillow.

"I just wanted to call you and let you know…you know, so you could keep an eye out," Tucker sounded a little nervous, and that made Sam smile. Such a good big brother had she.

"Tuck, stop worrying," her voice was no-nonsense and hopefully sounded confident and calm for him, "I'll keep an eye out, and if anything happens I'll call you."

"Promise?"

"Of course," she smiled, "Now let me go to sleep or I'll slap you silly tomorrow."

"Okay, woman, okay," he laughed, "Night Sam."

"Night…"

And then she was alone with her thoughts in her lonely room on a lonely Thursday night. Needless to say she decided to get her much deserved sleep before she made herself any more depressed with her thoughts…well, either depressed or insane.

She wasn't really sure which anymore.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"I just wish I could still be around…been having a hard time…"

A figure hovered over her, even as she slept, and Sam wasn't quite sure if it was a dream induced by wishful thinking or if she had finally snapped. Green eyes glowed above her and as she turned onto her back, she was almost certain white hair fell over those beautiful emerald orbs.

"..never wanted…always…"

Her heart was in her throat as a chill swept over her and she swore she heard his sweet, familiar voice rambling on like he used to. Snatches of it swirled in and out of her hearing, her dreams taunting her with the one thing she desired most in the world.

"…I miss you and I…"

It was torture, of the worst possible sort for her mind. He sounded so close and yet a million miles away all at once. Of course, he sometimes sounded like that when he was in ghost mode, the strange echo that was suddenly a part of his normal speech patterns, pulling his voice further from her even if he was only two feet away.

"I wish I could…still…best friends…not much time…always against me."

Then it happened. She felt sure that she was awake, even as she held desperately onto the last vestiges of her sleep induced hallucination of a halfa with green eyes who was her best friend.

"...but you know time was never a really great friend to me, Sam. I have to leave again."

It _was_ cold and she was more awake than she originally thought, as she swore that the green faded into red and then a soft something brushed her cheek. His last statement was crystal clear suddenly. He had said her name, and she'd know that voice anywhere.

She fought, tooth and nail, to throw off her sleep completely and just as the last hint of a chill left her room she sat straight up, breathing as hard as if she had run across the entire city. Her fingers immediately traced the chilled path left across her cheek.

'That felt like a glove. Like glove covered fingers,' she thought furiously, her mouth gaping as she forced herself to recall every single thing she had experienced. Tears fell and her throat closed completely as she simply sat and held her hand to her cheek.

This was it. She had either completely lost her mind or he had finally come back in some small way.

And if he was still alive, she was going to kill him.

Her dark violet covers were violently ripped from her small frame by her own hand as she tore out of bed. She threw open her closet and got dressed, pants and a t-shirt, a light jacket and socks, not caring that she was making enough noise to raise the dead.

'I hope it actually does raise the dead, because when I find him, I'm going to rip him a new one,' she promised herself, as she dressed, the tears still streaming in the pale light of early morning. A glance at her clock confirmed it, 'Tucker called me about five hours ago, since it's nearly five now.'

"Danny if that was you, you had better have been a hallucination or have a damn good explanation," she snatched her cell phone and headed out the door, more determined than ever to start her search anew for her lost friend. She was at the Fenton's doorstep when she finally dialed Tucker.

"Tuck, listen. I'm fine, but that ghost that was going around town just visited me…and I think it was Danny. No. No! I'm going to the Fentons'."

Tucker suddenly panicked, "What is going on? What happened to you?"

"Listen to me," her voice insisted over the line, grabbing his attention stronger than anything else could at that moment, "I'm going to go to the ghost zone, and I am going to get answers once and for all. I am sick and tired of guessing."

"Sam," she heard him stumble as he raced to get clothes on, "I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not," Sam smiled sadly, "You have to stay and take care of things here…you have to take care of Valerie and your parents and her Dad, and my Mom and Dad, and the Fentons."

"Sam," he was really getting worried and was picking up the pace as she heard him struggling with something she guessed was one of his shoes.

"Tucker," she said lightly, trying to get him to calm down, "You can't beat me here, I'm the fastest runner in this whole town. I've had lots of practice. Besides, there's nothing you can do since there's only one Specter Speeder."

"I can float through the ghost zone if I have to," Tucker said indignantly. His door creaked open and she laughed as she stepped up to the Fentons' door to go through.

They never locked their doors, just in case one of their 'adopted' kids needed in. She just so happened to be one of those kids. And really, no one wanted to mess with the Fentons…they were probably the only family that was safe in leaving their door unlocked.

"You can't float fast enough," she laughed, truly, happily for the first time in two years, a sudden weight off her chest, "Tuck, I think it's time that I stop."

"Stop, stop what? Sam?"

She closed the phone, opened the door, and headed down to the lab. The portal stood before her, open and swirling green. Emerald green. How strange it was that it was actually open.

It just leant more proof to her sudden idea that Danny was alright. That he was alive, or at least still able to communicate. Shaky hands started the vehicle, and just as Jack and Maddie burst in, she shot forward.

Everyone thought she was running away.

She knew she had finally stopped.


	6. Findings

**Roanoke**  
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_A note_: Well, things are starting to happen, we're going places, seeing things! Can't wait to continue writing this, it's just so much fun! I am going to try to apologize for it taking so frickin' long to get this out…but that would just waste what little time I have to write! Onwards!

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

**Chapter Six: Findings**

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Sam wasn't quite sure where she was. Apart from the few expeditions that she and the boys had made when they were younger, they had never finished mapping out the ghost zone, and this was definitely a part that they had yet to reach. In her rush she had forgotten one of the most important rules that the original trio had set out for themselves, or rather for herself and Tucker. Never go into the ghost zone alone.

She had also forgotten to grab the map's that Frostbite had given them from Danny's room. She hadn't the time.

Sam shook her head as she began scanning for real world items. They would more than likely lead her to some ghost who might be able to point her in the right direction. They'd probably want to fight, too, but that would just have to take a back seat at the moment. She had other things on her mind.

'Okay, this was probably the stupidest thing I've ever done,' Sam's eyes were frantically scanning her surroundings for threats, 'I can't believe I didn't wait for someone…Tucker is going to kill me when I get back. If I get back at all.'

She stopped the specter speeder and lay her head against the steering wheel, sighing deeply, "I am so screwed."

"Screwed?" a friendly voice wavered through the vehicle to her, "What does this mean young Samantha?"

"Dora!" Sam's eyes widened as she pulled her head up to find the princess hovering in front of her craft, "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm not too far from my castle holding," she answered with a smile, "but please what is 'screwed'?"

"It means in terrible trouble with no chance of help," Sam tipped her head to a side as she considered the ghost in front of her, "or at least I thought I was. We aren't far from where you live?"

"Not at all," she turned to point off to her left, "It is only a few minutes flight from here. But why are you here, with no one at your side?"

"I made a decision," she smiled to herself, "and it was really stupid, but at least I made it."

"I…see," the ghost cocked her head to the side, watching the small girl before her, "What decision did you finally make?"

"Nothing important," Sam waved her off, wanting to get to something a bit more important, "I know I was really annoying a couple of years ago, asking about…Danny, all the time, and I know you'll probably be mad at me again, but…have you seen him lately?"

"I have not," Dora sadly shook her head, "Samantha, you should not dwell on lovers lost."

"We weren't," Sam started to blush and stutter, "I mean, I cared for him, but we never…er…"

Gentle laughter stopped her rambling, as Dora's amulet began to glow. Transformation complete, the dragon took a hold of the Specter's nose, and turned it slightly, "My home is in this direction if you care to go. You will be well received."

"I don't think I have time," Sam fought off the last of her blushing, "I really need to find someone who can help me. Dora, do you know anyone around here who could help me…I'd even be willing to talk to Desiree right now, no matter how twisted she might make my wish."

"I'm afraid I cannot," she answered as she began to look around uneasily, "but I can tell you that you must leave, as it is swiftly becoming more dangerous in this area. Fly south, and hopefully you will meet a friend. Fare thee well, and good luck young one."

And once again, Sam was alone, though with direction this time. She flew south, as directed, and pondered the entire time on Dora's behavior, 'Why in the world is it becoming more dangerous? That just doesn't make any sense, especially coming from a dragon who happens to be one of the more powerful ghosts in the area…'

Several minutes' flight later found Sam steering wildly, trying to dodge the dangerously glowing rockets launched from Skulker's shoulder, "Leave me alone, freak! I was just passing through, and I'm not even your normal prey!"

"You were trespassing, and that's reason enough for me to start the hunt. I haven't had anything to hunt lately, and you're challenge enough for me."

"How the hell was I supposed to know that the middle of frickin' nowhere actually belonged to someone when there's nothing there!"

Needless to say, she was momentarily grateful when someone wrapped Skulker in ecto-ropes. But only momentarily as she watched Walker materialize in front of her, "You are a real-world creature, bringing real-world items into the ghost zone. You are in violation of twenty-nine different laws and will be sentenced immediately to three thousand years of imprisonment. Do I make myself clear?"

"Why today?" Sam gently rubbed her forehead before looking into the skull-like face looming before her, "Listen Walker, you can't touch me anyways and your prison can't hold me, so why try? I'm leaving anyways."

Walker could only watch, shame faced, as she scooted out of his sector, "Stupid brats."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Three hours, forty minutes, and thirty seven seconds later found Sam lazily drifting in the mysterious currents that seemed to continuously ebb through the ghost zone. In that time she had seen seventeen ghosts, four of which she didn't know and only two of which were friendly.

None of them had seen Danny, but the two friendly ghosts had pointed her further south. Poindexter had even offered to accompany her, as it was only right for a boy to offer. She had politely refused and was now enjoying her momentary peace.

"I could have been working on my project right now," Sam whined to no one in particular, "_Plus _it was Caesar salad day in the cafeteria, _plus _we get out early on Fridays, _plus _Tucker is seriously going to rip me a new one when and if I get back. I'm bloody brilliant for doing this."

She had been shot at, nearly mauled, talked to, annoyed, pestered, scared half to death, and still she was no closer than she had been two years ago, even though she felt like she was so close, 'Maybe you really did lose it, and it was all just a hallucination. Way to go Sam, you've finally gone off your rocker.'

Pity party aside, she felt like she was doing rather well for being alone, lost, unarmed, and about to crash into a giant castle.

'Wait a second,' Sam's eyes widened as she slowly turned her head back to the area she had last scanned over, 'A giant what?'

Her panicking made her suddenly feel silly though as she remembered that real world items tended to float through the walls of ghostly abodes.

The jarring crash had her amending her thoughts.

Most real world items tended to float through most ghostly abodes, with exceptions being Dora's castle and a few other, particular places. Apparently this one was one of those places.

The castle was looming, and a little more than ominous. The young woman wasn't totally sure that this was something she wanted to crash into, and began to make ready to flee when a quiet chuckle came from the seat beside her. It sounded friendly, but that didn't necessarily mean that it was. She swallowed hard, then held her breath, listening for the entity beside her. She only received another chuckle for her trouble, and the sound of something…swishing. Or perhaps, changing somehow.

"I was wondering how much longer it would take before you ended up at my doorstep," a deep, soothing voice intoned beside her. It sounded neither young nor old, but rather timeless in an unnerving way that had Sam swiveling her head to look at just _what _was speaking.

The ghost before her was handsome, and then innocent, and then aged. She had found Clockwork, and no longer worried about just who's house she had crashed into. Father Time himself had known she was coming.

"I didn't exactly end up on your doorstep you know," she spoke cautiously, almost childlike in her awe of the ghost before her. She had always been fascinated by ghosts, but he was by far one of the most interesting she had ever laid eyes on. Why? Because she couldn't simply believe her was truly a ghost. He was the Master of Time. Nearer to a demigod than an ecto-plasmically based creature.

"No, but you did arrive," he smiled gently as he slipped between forms, hovering just over the seat beside her to give the appearance of sitting, "Would you care to come inside?"

"Please," she smiled back, though still nervously, 'I really hope I didn't make him mad…'

She was inside just as suddenly as she had crashed and wondered if perhaps he had caused her to crash. Sam had to shake the thought from her head before she started to think about time paradoxes and gave herself a headache. There were far more important things at hand.

"I know that time is of the essence young Samantha," his voice drew her attention to the rack of medallions he was standing near, "You should ask your question now."

'No use in trying for small talk I guess,' she frowned at his directness, "Have you seen Danny?"

"Yes."

She stood with her arms crossed, waiting impatiently for several minutes before she realized he was _smirking_ at her and was going to wait until she asked another question, 'Stupid ghosts who like stupid games…I take back ever thinking he was closer to a demigod, just because he can control time...'

"Fine, I give," Sam glared heatedly, and as she spoke he moved forward with a medallion in hand, "Do you know where he is?"

"Yes," and the medallion was slipped over her head, "You do know that in history certain things must happen for other things to happen?"

"Um, yes?" Sam was confused as she was gently guided to one of the many portal-like devices he used to view Time.

"Then you know that in order for something to go correctly in one timeline, nothing must interfere with what will happen, or what has happened, or what is happening?" he pushed her the last step to the portal directly in front of her.

"I suppose," she turned back to look at the young, old, middle-aged ghost behind her, "but what's going on? Why won't you just tell me where Danny is?"

"In time, child," and Sam felt herself falling, floating, lingering in Time.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"A child," the voice coached Sam back into consciousness. It sounded…strange, almost accented and certainly not familiar.

"It is a witch child," another voice harshly spoke, "We must rid our village of this evil, as it has been too long plagued by such strange occurrences!"

"My head…" Sam groggily sat up, forcing the bile in her throat back down as her dizziness increased and the light from the sun blinded her.

"What is this, clear the way," a stronger voice demanded, "This most certainly is not the time to dally as we assuredly should be working as the Good Lord decrees. Be not still of hand brethren, and let the elders deal with what has befallen us this time."

" 'Tis a child," Sam caught the speaker this time, a young woman only a few years older than herself, but certainly looking more worn. The crowd parted for an older man, and Sam assumed he was the one she had heard, "But by the looks of her dress and the coloring she is a witch's child."

"Please," Sam begged, taking in the strange clothing of those around her and their strangely accented English, "I'm not a witch child."

"Then, pray tell, what manner of child are you, that you should appear so suddenly, from no where?" The man was looming over her now, eyeing her cautiously as the others who had surrounded her earlier started to move back to their work, "Speak child, else hold your tongue forever more."

"My name is Samantha, and I'm not sure how I got here. Where is here, anyways?"

"You are in the town of Roanoke, established colony of Her Majesty, the Queen, in the newly found lands to the west," he looked down on her more seriously, "If you are not a witch's child, why are you in such clothing, and how did you come to be here?"

"I honestly don't know," She pulled herself up onto her knees, then shakily stood, her hands sliding up around her neck as she felt the weight of the medallion pull her down, 'Oh dear God…'

"You speak strangely child, but as you are a woman and yet young to be alone, I will give you one last chance to answer my questions, or you shall face the perusal of the town's council," she looked to him sharply and began to notice a certain pleading in his eyes, "Be ye a witch's child, or be ye not?"

"Not, most assuredly," Sam's mind began to frantically scramble for an explanation that these people would accept, "It was an unearthly woman who did this to me!"

She had everyone's attention at this proclamation, and pulling on her knowledge that she had garnered through her research Sam played it for all she was worth, "She dressed me in these terrible clothes and told me I would be a sacrifice. Before she could…harm me, I prayed that I could escape her evil…clutches and then I was here. I don't…eh, do not know how it happened."

"This child has been bewitched!"

"Perhaps she is a witch's spy!"

"The spy of a devil!"

"Let us not get ahead of ourselves," the man offered her his cloak hastily so she could cover herself, and for some reason Sam found herself fighting a blush because she was so indecently dressed in their eyes. A woman in pants, that was truly a scandal in these days.

'In these days,' the thought passed with deadly silence through her mind, as all other thoughts withered, 'Clockwork sent me back in time, to Roanoke of all places. At least I know something about where I'm at though…'

"Child," she was gently shaken by the shoulder, pulling her from her thoughts, "You are still under duress, but it is nearly night and you must be taken to shelter."

"Will I be staying with someone?" Sam was starting to like this man, though she wasn't sure why. He was in charge, he knew what was going on, he was being kind, and for some reason his face was familiar.

"Regrettably, no one will take you in for the night, and you would never be permitted to stay with any unmarried man," he frowned slightly, and Sam feared the worst.

'Great, out into the woods I go to fend for myself,' she began to drag her feet in slight retaliation, 'Or worse, I'll be forced to sleep outside in plain sight or something.'

"You will be staying in the empty stables for this night, and the next few nights until you prove your trustworthiness and arrangements are made," she found herself staring at the ugly, shoddily built barn, "It is better than nothing child, and the Good Lord always doth provide for those in need."

"Of course," she replied tersely and entered, only to have the doors swiftly shut behind her, "Of course…"

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Take the medallion off, go who knows where," Sam held up one hand as the moonlight filtered in through a badly fitted board, "Or, leave it on, because Clockwork very obviously sent me here for a reason. Who knew ghosts would actually help me get my homework done for once…"

She was bored, and she hated being bored, but Sam had little else to do and no where else to go, 'Might as well stay in one spot and let whatever happens happen. Worse comes to worse I take the medallion off and probably end up home or at least back at Clockwork's place.'

"I wonder if this is the first or second colony," she had found that talking to herself relieved at least some of the boredom, "If it's the first I'll probably die of a disease…and if it's the second then it's either death by ghost or alien."

An eye roll indicated just how inclined she was to believe the alien theory. Boredom did not become her, and the hay was starting to itch, causing her to rise to her knees out of it. It was fast becoming one of the worst experiences of her young life, "…Though I suppose it's not that bad…it could be worse…"

"Yeah," a voice spoke directly into her ear from behind her, the chill of the air sweeping over her causing her to shiver violently from both cold and fear, "There could be ghosts about…"

She didn't even have time to suck in a breath to scream as she was roughly shoved forward, her own momentum flipping her so she landed on her back, bruising already abused muscles. She was dazed, for the second time that day, and distractedly wondered if perhaps she too had gained a concussion.

"Little girls shouldn't be playing in the barn this late," the eerie voice echoed around her as something began to materialize, "They might find monsters like me…"

Red eyes, blood red and horrible and intense. Shock white hair, with black tingeing the edges and around the creature's head, almost in a band where it was cut short. Black clothes, black boots, black gloves, black cloak, black staff with a scythe-curved blade. Red, and white, and black, and Sam couldn't breath. She honestly thought she was going to die, right then, right there.

'His colors were never red, black, and white,' her mind began running in circles as this abomination wearing her Danny's face stepped forward into the waning moonlight and Sam slunk further into the shadows, pulling in on herself for greater protection, "His colors were black and silver."

Shock had set in and she numbly watched as the being stopped advancing at her voiced thought, held up a glowing green hand, and actually looked at her as she was bathed in the strange, green light.

"Not anymore," recognition lit his eyes, his words caught roughly in his throat, and the light went out from his hand, plunging them back into darkness, "Not for a long time…Sam."

There wasn't even time to scream before a hand clamped over her mouth, and Sam knew exactly what her greatest fear was. She had just never dreamed it to be the boy she loved.


	7. Convolutions

**Roanoke**  
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_A note_: Okay, so about Danny…Think of red eyes and a scythe like in the first Freakshow cartoon, hair like from Micromanagement, and a completely black suit minus the DP symbol…I think he'd be rather scary no? I don't know about you but I'd probably pass out.

Oh, and please remember that Time passes however Clockwork wants it to. It might not be time like we think of.

Hm, oh, this is getting intense my friends…Hope you enjoy!

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

**Chapter Seven: Convolutions**

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"My Lord," one of his many servants appeared before his bed, hesitantly waking his master in dire fear of being eradicated, "My Lord, something's happened."

"What," Vlad growled as he turned in his bed to face the cowering ghost-creature he had engineered, "It had better be good to wake me so early in the morning. I despise rising before ten on Fridays and you'd do well to remember that."

The purple ectoplasm burning around his first had the ghost dropping to the ground, shying away from the sight, "The portal in the Fentons' house was just activated. I didn't get there in time to see what did it, but that Manson girl, that one that was always following the halfa, she went through it in some sort of machine."

"Samantha went into the portal," Vlad rolled this thought delicately through his mind, "and she went alone. Did the Fentons' just allow her to go?"

"No, they broke down the door right before she managed to get out," he gained confidence as his master sounded more and more interested, "They were practically begging her not to go. There was also an ectoplasmic disturbance visiting several places around town right before she left. It visited her last, then headed in the same direction she did."

"Interesting," Vlad dismissed his servant with a shot of fire-like purple, then rose to greet the day, "Very interesting indeed."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Tucker stood, chest heaving, at the door to Fenton Works, his blood rushing in his ears and feeling as though he might loose his heart it was beating so fast, 'I hate her right now for being such a fast runner.'

The door was ajar, and she had obviously already passed through as black smudges of mud in the shape of boots covered the stairs and entryway. Tucker cursed lividly and pushed open the door, hearing several shouts from down in the lab. Jack and Maddie were furious about something, and were hopefully venting their frustration on a very contrite Sam.

Then again, as Tucker entered the lab and found Maddie and Jack yelling at one another, he realized that luck had never truly been on his side.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Plasmius sat in his own lab, pulling up every file he had on Samantha Elizabeth Manson and pouring over them. It was not like the girl to impulsively run off into the ghost zone unless someone was in danger, or she herself had very good reason for doing so. She was level headed, and had shied away from the Fenton household after Danny's disappearance.

For her to return there after so long and go into the ghosts' world alone…

"Samantha, Samantha, what have you found?"

He had been watching her, keeping an eye on her. If there was one person in the world who could possibly find Daniel Fenton it would be her, and for that reason he had begun to study her. She would succeed where the Fentons would not because of her relationship with the boy. Knowing her would allow him to see when she changed, when she started to act differently. Acting differently would indicate one of two things; she had either finally given up, or she had finally found him.

'Acting impulsively is a good sign that something has happened…' he sat back in his chair, chuckling to himself as he looked over her latest online conversations with Tucker Foley and Valerie Gray, 'Roanoke, a school history research paper…and it was actually done by Pariah Dark. I would have never guessed, but that is of no matter. Her interest and mine only turned up this fact, and a distant ancestor who was present when the second colony was built. It is far more interesting that something so drastic has happened.'

"Fright Knight," Vlad stood and the ghost appeared before him, "You will accompany me to the Fentons'. I have a feeling that something of benefit is about to happen."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Yeah, that's right, she went through the portal."

Tucker was getting an earful, as a tired and irritated and _worried_, Valerie chewed him out on the other end of the phone. She was stuck in the hospital until that evening, and had no way to repair or retrieve her hover board until then.

"No, I don't know," he sighed as he listened to her anger turn to fear, "I'm sure she's fine Val, she's been in the ghost zone more times than you have. No, not really. Just get some rest and we'll get her out. We can…I'm sure. No sleeping now…"

The gentle teasing had both their frayed nerves at rest for a moment, and they said their goodbyes. The Fentons had finally stopped their yelling and the blaming of one another. The world wasn't exactly at peace, but it was close enough for Tucker.

"You don't have anything else that can help me get around in there?" Tucker was ready to get on his knees and beg, even though he knew that if the older couple had something, they would have already been gone to find Sam, "Please tell me you have something?"

"We don't have anything Tucker," Maddie held a hand to her chest for a second as though her heart hurt, "I don't even have any plans thought up for alternative transportation through the ghost zone."

"We can make something though," Jack placed a massive hand on the boy's back, "It might not be perfect, but it will be something."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"We're almost there. We'll go in, destroy anything that looks like it could help them find young Samantha, and then I shall go in and follow her to wherever she might be. Knowing them, they'll be working on something even as we speak."

"Yes, my Lord. It shall be done as you wish."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"We're almost done. We'll go in, use the Boo-merang to hone in on Sam after we recalibrate it to pick up on real world items, and then get the heck out of dodge."

"And give her a serious talking to."

"Yes Tucker, a very serious talking to."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Done!" Jack Fenton stood proudly, holding up the jet-pack-like creation, "I'll call it the Jack-Pack!"

"That's nice dear," Maddie smiled as she pulled it out of his hands, "The Boo-merang has been recalibrated, and I'm ready to go. I shouldn't be too long."

"Mrs. Fenton," Tucker stepped forward hesitantly, "I don't think you should go. I think…I need to find Sam."

A momentary understanding was passing between the three and before the equipment could change hands again, a sword split the Boo-merang and a heavy blast sent Jack flying across the room into the shelving that held various odds and ends. Tucker found himself being pushed back by Maddie as the Fright Knight swung heavily at the pair. Vlad appeared a moment later, cruelly smiling straight at Tucker as he destroyed the only chance he had at reaching Sam.

"Too bad it will not be you who finds young Samantha," he laughed as their faces first fell, then tightened in fury, "It is also too bad that I will not be staying to kill you. I have a girl to find and something to gain."

"No!" Tucker tore himself out of Maddie's grasp and lunged as Vlad flew into the portal. He would die kicking and screaming, _float _through the ghost zone if he had to, before he would allow Vlad to find Sam first.

The Fright Knight flung him back, nearly as hard as he had thrown Jack, and proceeded after Plasmius. It wasn't even nine in the morning yet and Maddie found herself crying silently, stoically as she looked after the injured pair.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

With his servant guarding the portal on the ghost's side, Vlad was guaranteed that no one was coming in, and certainly nothing that might give aide would be able to get out. Hours passed as Vlad weaved his way through the ghost zone, questioning whoever happened in his path. Few ghosts had seen her, but they were easy enough to get to talk. A few threats and a little coercion and they were more than willing to point him to the south.

This would be far easier than he had originally planned, and certainly more than worth his time, as several ghosts had mentioned that the human child had been asking after Danny Phantom again.

The castle in his path intrigued him, and so carefully slipping inside, Vlad was pleased to find no one home. He had done his research and knew as soon as he saw the viewing portals that he was in the home of the Time Ghost. It would behoove him greatly to not be caught, but the largest portal loomed before him, with a very interesting timeline.

He saw many things, before he made up his mind to reach for a medallion, but mainly he saw his wildest dreams coming true, a boy who looked ridiculously like Daniel doing the dirty work of Pariah Dark, and Sam Manson staring in horror as that same Danny look alike advanced on her.

"Soon Danny," Vlad smiled as he slipped the heavy medallion over his head, "Soon you will work with me, America shall belong to the Masters, and the world will be right."

He had never felt more confident in all his life as he leaped into one of the time streams that had been left open.

"Not yet, but soon," a chuckle sounded from around the corner as an ever changing shadow loomed, "Now, and soon, and then. And only after, will the world be right."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Don't you dare scream," he growled out as his frozen breath raced across the side of her neck, "I swear Sam, if you scream I'll…I'll knock you out or something."

The hand slowly slid away from her mouth and time sped back up, unfreezing from the never ending fifteen seconds Sam had felt stuck in when he had slipped a hand over her mouth and pulled her further into the shadows. He had pushed her against the wall, and Sam wasn't sure if she was dead, hallucinating, or so angry at him she could hit him. Instead she had settled for a vague feeling of shock and decided to deal with reality later.

Later, apparently, came now after only fifteen seconds respite.

"Sam?" He was looking slightly worried, which also looked rather strange because of his darker appearance and red glowing eyes, "I didn't break you or anything did I?"

That stupid, blessed statement was so like Danny that tears and laughter bubbled out of the poor, abused girl before she could bring her hands up to slap over her own mouth. Wide, fearful eyes turned in his direction to gauge how displeased the ghost was at her outburst. She was shocked again to see mirth dancing in those familiar, unfamiliar eyes.

"Sam," he brought a black gloved hand up to her face, gently pushing a strand of hair from her forehead, "Please tell me you're my Sam, not some ancestor or something weird like that."

"I…I don't think any of my ancestors are in America yet," she shakily got out, half afraid he was just messing with her, half desperate that he wasn't, "Especially not in Roanoke."

She grabbed his hand and latched onto him, not caring if this was some evil version of her halfa, not caring if he was about to kill her or do something terrible to this place. The only thing she cared about was being near him, finally finding him, finally being able to rest and never having to run again.

Let the others run, she'd never do it again if she could help it.

"Sam," his voice broke, the ghostly, echoing tone causing her to burrow further into her protector, her friend, and possibly her enemy, "Sam you can't be here. You _can't_."

And suddenly he sounded so _angry_.

Everything rushed back to her in that moment. He had been violent, threatening, scornful. He looked different, scarily so. He could very possibly not care anymore, he could just be in a state of confusion because she had been found here of all places. Just because he had made one or two statements that sounded like he was still himself didn't mean anything, and she could very possibly have been hugging a ghost that could go homicidal on her at any second.

She pushed him back, trying to get away from him then, but he had grown, and was definitely a lot stronger than she was now. Trying to jerk away didn't work either as the wall was to her back. The hand that she had been holding twisted roughly to catch her wrist, and held her firmly in place.

'This is no time to panic,' Sam grew still, trying to be as passive as she could, and after a moment his grip loosened on her wrist, 'Think this through, okay. He obviously recognizes me, that's good.'

"Sam, don't fight me," Danny's voice cut through her thoughts, commanding and different because of how serious he sounded, "I don't want to end up hurting you just because you're freaking out on me or something."

"Danny," she spoke his name, and after so long it felt like dust in her mouth and rust rolling off her tongue, "Danny please, just let me go."

"If you promise not to freak out on me again," he backed up, then pushed his hand roughly through his two-toned hair, "What's with you, first you hug me, then you push me…I don't get it, what the hell are you doing here anyways?"

"Just calm down okay," she didn't know what was going on, as he bounced between concerned and angry, "No need to get upset."

"There's plenty of need to get upset," he was close to shouting, but still hadn't quite gone past a normal voice for fear of waking the people, "You're _here_, and damn it, you're scared of me Sam!"

She was about to retort, but found herself staring into blazing, angry red eyes, fists that were starting to glow slightly green, and a man, not a boy, dressed all in black. Her jaws clicked shut, and a weak, "I am not," found it's way to both their ears.

Danny chuckled. Sam glared. Things were starting to balance themselves out between the two, but the tension was still tangible.

"Can't really blame you I guess," he sighed suddenly and frowned, "I know I look different, but it's just a trick…I can change back anytime I want to…except for right now because I'm on the job."

"On the job?" Sam looked up at her best friend, a frown marring her face as well, "but then…that means. No."

'Danny can't be the ghost,' her mind had put the pieces together easily. He was here, in Roanoke. He had a job to do. He looked very different, so different that if a person didn't know him well enough, this Danny and Danny Phantom might look nothing alike. So different that Pariah Dark might not figure out in the future who the boy who beat him was…

"Uh, Sam?"

"How can you be working for Pariah Dark!?"

Danny had never looked more confused or scared in all his life.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Vlad was in time. He was falling into it and he could see it all. The glorious future he was about to make for himself swam before his eyes as he forced himself to recall the name of his ancestor who had been lost in Roanoke some four hundred or so years before.

Jonathan Ezekiel Howe, son of George Howe who had been killed by the Native Americans early on in the town's formation.

What a prize was to be won…falling, floating, feeling…Time.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Time out."

And the world froze.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Every time we open the door he's there," Tucker turned to help Valerie down the stairs, as the crutches for her sprained ankle weren't the easiest thing in the world to get used to, "We can't get into the ghost zone to go after Sam, but on the upside like Mr. Fenton keeps saying, at least nothing has come out."

"This is ridiculous," Valerie's face twisted in pain as she bumped her injured foot, "I hate this! Why can't we _do _something! Sprained ankle or no sprained ankle, I'm going in."

"And get yourself injured worse?" Tucker angrily berated her, "He was toying with the first time, he'd kill you this time Valerie. I'm not about to loose another friend!"

Both their eyes jerked down to the phone clenched in his hand as it started to ring.

"Hello?"

Tucker just listened and answered two questions, "Yes, I know where she's at…She went into the Fentons' ghost portal."

Valerie and Tucker looked between themselves, then over to the questioning eyes of the Fentons who had been on the phone with Jazz.

"The Mansons are coming."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"How in the world could you possibly know that?" Danny took a step away from Sam, "What is going on?"

"I…I went looking for you and I eventually found Clockwork, or he found me…and then I ended up here," Sam turned her head away from him, tears threatening to fall again, "You were in my room. You came back, and you were too much of a coward to even show your face."

"Sam, I…"

"Two years, Danny."

"I know."

The silence returned, and it was hateful. The dark felt suffocating, and Danny knew that something had to be done. A green ball was soon hovering between the two strained friends, lighting the small area they shared as he had done earlier with his fist, "I learned a few new tricks."

Silence still, though her eyes were now on the light in front of her.

"Sam, I know I was gone, but I had to…I've been working for Clockwork," he took a deep breath before he continued, thankful that she was looking at him again, "He came to me and told me what needed to be done. I went to work with Pariah Dark after I learned how to change my appearance. I hated it…but the thing I hated the most was loosing my emblem."

His hand rested over his chest as he looked almost pained for a moment, "If I didn't get in with Dark, and if I don't do this tonight, things will go wrong. Terribly wrong, as in, the United States won't be the United States."

"What do you mean?" her eyes slid between him and the ball of light, "How could the United States not be the United States Danny?"

She heard him draw a deep breath. The truth was about to come out about everything that had been happening the past few years.

"If Roanoke doesn't go missing, it will grow into one of the largest cities the New Colonies' will ever have. It will also have one of the most influential families, very powerful politically and all that. The American Revolution will never happen because the Howe family, who currently lives in Roanoke, will marry another old family…the Masters."

Sam stared in disbelief, 'Vlad…'

"With those two families together, there was enough political and military backing to put down the rebels who wanted independence. Vlad's ancestors would eventually inherit North America as Lords and Ladies under England's rule. Their decedents, Vlad included, would be reaping the benefits…and life would be horrible. We'd basically be living under a despotic rule."

He could see the questions boiling behind her eyes, and was prepared to answer as best he could. He was ready for anything, up to all her questions…

"Did you actually just say 'despotic'?"

…except for maybe that one.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Sitting around the portal wasn't doing anyone any good.

The Fentons' were busy trying to figure out new ways to get past the portal's newly acquired guardian. The only problems being their lab was completely wrecked and Fright Knight had the most advantageous position. Their planning session was slowly starting to wind down, and soon they would settle back into silence or bickering. Tucker didn't think he could handle either.

The Mansons, who had been demanding answers for the past two hours, were running out of steam or tired of being ignored. Tucker and Valerie had done their best to fill them in on what was going on, but it hadn't been enough. The worried parents were now starting to withdraw into themselves, worrying about their only child who they might never see again. Tucker didn't think he could handle seeing them like that much longer.

Valerie was outright pissed. Angry at Sam for going off alone, angry at the Fentons' for not being able to get to her, angry at Tucker for not being able to stop her, angry at the Mansons for not realizing their daughter was running off. But through all her bluster and anger, Tucker knew she was raging at herself, furious that she hadn't been there. Tucker didn't think he could handle watching Valerie silently blame herself.

Tucker didn't think he could handle what he was feeling right then, so he sat silently. He was frustrated, worried, and angry, just like the rest of them, but there was something else in the mix. They all felt guilty sure, but he was pretty sure that he was the only person in the room who hated someone. He hated Danny right then, more than he ever had before…and Tucker wasn't sure that he could handle that, so he didn't.

He instead buried his face in his hands and started to pray.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Listen, Sam," Danny shook his head as he laughed off her question, "I got that drilled into my head by Clockwork, and just because I haven't gone to school in two years doesn't mean I haven't been learning stuff. You'd be surprised at what I know now."

It was the wink at the end of his statement and the suggestive way his voice came off that had Sam's back stiffening, "I don't think I need to know anything about _that_."

"I was just teasing," he sighed, "I haven't exactly had time to do anything but shape Time and learn stuff."

"Why couldn't Clockwork have gotten you to do all this, then put you back the day he had taken you?" She hadn't meant to sound so hurt, especially when he was trying so hard to lighten the mood, but it was what she felt, and Sam had given up on hiding it from him, "Why couldn't you have just come back to me…to everyone."

The glowing light floated between them, gently pulsing from time to time, burning but never burning out as Danny contemplated her question, "Clockwork said that something would happen that would prevent me from returning the same day. He also said it was unhealthy for a normal human, or almost-normal human, to stay outside of time for as long as this would take."

"Oh."

"I wouldn't have done this if I had had a choice," Danny stuck a finger into the light and watched it swirl around his hand, "I would have never left. I miss you."

"I miss you too," Sam said as she reached out towards the light, ready to stop if it hurt her in any way or if Danny warned her off. Instead he smiled gently and pushed it towards her. Surprisingly, it was cold. Nearly all other ecto-energy she had come into contact with had been warm, the ghosts themselves being what caused the temperature to drop.

Seeing Sam shiver, Danny answered her unspoken question, "I trapped some energy in tiny ice crystals, so they just float there. The crystals make it brighter than if I just let energy float…that's probably why it's cold."

'This is nice,' Sam thought as she withdrew her hand, 'I'm here, yeah, but that doesn't matter…Danny's here.'

"You need to go now," and his hands were around her medallion and jerking it over her head almost before she could process it. She slammed her hands down on his own, forcing him to drop the medallion back onto her chest. He was annoyed, but she didn't care anymore, "Sam…"

She was still Sam Manson, and he was still Danny Fenton and Sam was never afraid of Danny, nor would she ever have reason to be. He was still himself, and she was about to tell him off.

"You won't touch it, and I'm not taking it off," she pushed his hands away, "I wasn't going to take it off until I figured out what was going on. Now I'm not going to take it off until I can get you back home."

"Sam," he laughed, "I have a job to do, and Time isn't always with me…I'm with it. I have a pendant too, and as soon as I get done I'll take it off and then figure out how to get back."

"Danny you've been gone for two years," she was getting upset now, remembering what he had said in her so called dream the previous night, "You could be gone for five or ten more!"

"It doesn't matter Sam," he sighed and stood, and she angrily followed suit, "I have to get this done tonight, Pariah's orders, I don't have time to argue with you. You can either leave or stay and watch me do this."

"Do what?" Sam started to realize what he was about to do, but wanted to hear it coming from him, 'Have you really changed so much?'

"I'm going to destroy their town, and pull them into the ghost zone," the light flickered out and once again they were left in moonlight and shadows, "Now either move so I can start or take off your pendant and leave."

"You're Danny Phantom," Sam stated in disbelief, "You wouldn't just sacrifice innocent people."

"You already know why I'm doing it Sam, I have to."

"You would never have done it! The boy I knew would have tried to figure out a way around this!"

"You don't think I've tried?" He sounded hurt now, "Don't you think I've done everything I could to get out of it? I've begged and pleaded with Clockwork, but he's shown me every, single, stupid outcome of me not doing this. I can't _not _do this, Sam. History can't be written this way…"

"Then change it."

"I won't."

"So you'll just throw away one hundred and fifteen adult lives, and two babies?" Sam was nearing tears as she remembered her research, remembered names, remembered the numbers.

"How did you know that?" Danny was nearing critical as the weight of what he was going to do and what he had done hit him. He had never known how many until now, and he never thought it would scar him so badly.

"Answer me! You can't just go out there and kill them!"

"Watch me!"

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Time In."

And the world moved.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.


	8. Ruins

**Roanoke**  
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_A note_: Seems that I'm finally getting this done, eh? Thank you all for all your support. Just so you know this story is ten chapters long, with an epilogue to round it out, so…counting chapter eight we have four to go and then we're done!

Oh, and I meant to have this up yesterday, but the internet was down here…and then I had class, and blah, blah, blah. Enough excuses, on with the story!

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

**Chapter Eight: Ruins**

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"_Answer me! You can't just go out there and kill them!"_

"_Watch me!"_

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"_Time In." _

And the world moved.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

'No, no, no!' Sam scrambled frantically to catch Danny's arm as he brushed past her, heading for the barn's door, 'It's locked, but that doesn't matter to him, he'll just go through it and I'll be stuck here!'

"Sam…," but he was already passing through the door, and she finally had caught hold of him and was pulled through as well, "Just stay back and it'll be over in a few minutes…it's actually kinda' fun, if you think about it."

"Fun!?" she was exploding, probably about to wake up the entire town, but that was fine by her, "How the hell can destroying a town and people's lives be fun?"

"I just meant…you know," he shrugged, desperately trying to get rid of the guilt he was now feeling, "Like when we were kids and we'd build Lego towns and then pretend to be monsters…it's what monsters do, destroy towns…"

Sam watched as his hands lit, the red of his eyes burning brilliantly in the night. If Sam didn't know him, she would have thought a devil was after her, like the towns' people had feared. She took two steps back before she felt her resolve strengthen, "Danny you can't do this."

"Why not?" he turned to her, letting some of his facade slip and desperate for a reason not to.

"I…don't think you should," it wasn't a very good reason, and it showed. Danny just shook his head and raised his hands once more as he slipped into invisibility. It was time to do his job.

The town didn't know what was going on as suddenly trees were uprooted, roofs were torn off of houses, and the wind whipped to incredible speeds. Sam didn't know why, but something felt terribly wrong…and it wasn't just the fact that Danny was being heartless.

"What is going on…everyone head to the root cellar!"

The people had gathered and Sam ran to them, frantic to find out what year it was, 'If this is the wrong time, or the wrong colony I can stop him, maybe he's gotten it wrong, or maybe I have, but I have to try!'

"Child, come closer and pray with us," the girl who had earlier named her a witch's child welcomed her with open arms, in the face of this disaster, "You will surely be safe in the arms of the Lord, as soon as we reach the cellar. This storm shall not last long."

"What's your name?" Sam latched onto her, then swung her eyes to the kindly man she had spoken with earlier, "What's his name, please I have to know…I can stop this if I just know!"

"My name is Sarah, and he is my father," the girl was confused, not understanding and suddenly afraid, "He is Governor John White."

"When are you expecting?"

The girl was pale then, slipping away from Sam as quickly as she could with an arm wrapped firmly over her stomach, "How did you know?"

That was enough for Sam. This wasn't the right time, and now she knew why Clockwork had sent her. The Governor was gone to England to beg support from the Queen when the colony had disappeared. Virginia Dare, the first born English child on American soil would already be giggling happily in her mother's arms. The time was wrong and Danny was about to horribly alter history.

"No!" Sam broke away from the older women who tried to restrain her and pull her into the shelter, "Stop! Please, just stop!"

The wind was howling now, pulling her words away from her and she felt sure she'd be killed by the debris flying passed her. A small branch whipped passed her, nearly cutting her cheek, when she felt enclosed, gently, in someone's arms, "You just can't stay out of it can you?"

"Listen to me Danny," Sam was standing stock still, not able to see anything save for wind-whipped trees and dust that was blowing all around her, "This is the wrong time. Pariah isn't supposed to take them into the ghost zone yet…that's why I'm here."

"What?"

The wind immediately died, and everything settled once more to the ground. The town had been trashed, but it was salvageable, "My senior history paper was on Roanoke's disappearance. The town disappeared when Governor White was in England, and Virginia Dare had already been born. White's standing in the root cellar right now, with his pregnant daughter, Sarah Dare! It's not the right time!"

"That can't be right," she felt the halfa shake his head sharply from behind her where he held her, "Clockwork said everything would happen as it was supposed to, that meant that I just had to follow Dark's orders and I'd be done."

"Maybe it _is _supposed to happen this way," Sam leaned back into him tiredly, her legs starting to give out on her from the past few day's excitement in her time and this one, "Just wait a few days."

"I can't, I have to destroy this town," he popped back into sight and pushed her away gently just as a thud and a chuckle was heard from beside them.

"Finally come over to the dark side, Daniel?"

"Vlad," came the even reply as he cautiously stepped in front of Sam, "Seems like I keep meeting the future even in the past. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Sam was sure that her jaw would drop from the way Danny was acting, 'He's never civil to Vlad!'

"Oh, just a wild goose chase that led me here," he smiled and picked himself up, carefully dusting himself off and reverting to his human form, "Of course it wouldn't do for my however many times removed cousin to see me as a vampire now would it."

"Of course not," Sam spat, "That would probably ruin everything wouldn't it?"

"Perhaps, dear Samantha," he smiled smugly as he watched the other's of the town coming out of hiding, "but let's not ruin the moment shall we?"

"Your cousin?" Danny eyed Vlad with crossed arms as he hovered slightly above the ground, trying to play up the intimidation factor, even if Vlad saw him as no threat, "How would you even know that?"

"Research, my boy," Vlad straightened himself more, "I really must insist that you stop your attack on this town, or I'll be forced to lend them a hand."

They glared at one another then, with Sam feeling as though she was in some sort of altered universe where the role of hero and villain had been somehow switched.

It was an old fashioned stand off, and with Sam behind him, Danny wasn't sure what he could do at the moment, 'It normally wouldn't matter if Vlad was here. I would just kick his butt, pull the town in, and be done…but if Sam's right…'

"We're leaving, thanks to this troublemaker," Danny roughly pulled Sam with him as he started to stalk off, "No more complaints out of you, or it's over."

"Wha…"

"Just go with it," Danny roughly shoved her forward, whispering to her as she passed, "Stay here and rot for all I care right now Vlad. Pariah and I will be back to take this town, so don't pretend you've won."

"Afraid that you can not handle me on your own little badger?" Vlad mocked as he watched with narrowed eyes, "Know that if you bring him, I'll reveal everything I know about you helping in the future…all he has to do is borrow my medallion to find out…"

'Damn it,' Danny growled to himself, reaching out before him with a green tinged fingers, "You're threats mean nothing to me, old man."

The next thing Sam knew, Danny was ripping a hole in the air in front of her, the jagged edges glowing a sickly green as were his fingertips. She stared wide eyed as he pushed it open wider, and what appeared to be the fabric of reality tore beneath his touch, some of it turning to ashes and floating away to mingle with the swirling green and purple doors beyond it.

"You are still welcome to join me Daniel," Vlad cajoled seriously, offering one last opportunity for the boy he saw as his son and heir to switch sides, "Pariah Dark will fall to the ancient ghosts and then your younger self in a matter of years. If we protect this town, we'll change the future and with the medallions, it would be a simple thing to slip back to the present and rule it all."

"I have my loyalties," the halfa spit out as he grabbed Sam by her arm and jerked her towards the portal, "They don't lie with you."

"Think on it," Vlad smiled as he looked over his shoulder towards the voices that drifted nearer with ever second, "That's all I ask for when next we meet."

"In, now," and Danny pushed Sam through the small rift before he stepped through and closed it behind him, "We're going to have to run Sam."

"Why?" she looked around the ghost zone worriedly, "Where are we?"

"We're in _his _land," Danny looked around carefully, then swallowed his prize, "and we're going to need help."

Before Sam could protest, her medallion was phased off her person and once again she felt herself in Time. This time though, she refused to give in to its lulling fluctuations and sleep, and all because she was angry that Danny Fenton had just managed to send her back.

And she was alone again.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"What am I going to do?" Danny paced restlessly in mid air, trying desperately to figure out a plan. When he failed to have the town in his grasp by dawn Pariah would know he had botched the job somehow. You didn't fail Pariah Dark, "It's more like, Pariah Dark makes sure you never fail him again…man, what am I supposed to do now?"

'Think, Fenton,' the halfa berated himself as he pondered his situation, 'At least Sam is safe…I can't believe she was there…I can't believe Clockwork sent her either! And Vlad, how the hell did he manage to get to a medallion? No one can, unless Clockwork wants them to. Damn, this is just getting too confusing.'

He sat for a few minutes in the swirls of green, trying to calm himself by the familiarity of it all before he finally made his decision. He would just have to bite the bullet and follow Sam…and probably get kicked so hard in the shins they'd be black and blue for weeks, healing powers or no.

"Man, she's gonna' be pissed," his hands delicately entered his own torso and pulled the medallion out, painfully slow, 'But Dark is going to be worse. I know Clockwork knows what he's doing…but I sure wish he'd clue me in every now and again.'

He was gone, and only a swirl of green remained where the halfa had been. Pariah would know in a matter of hours, but hours, days, and minutes didn't have much of a hold on Danny any longer.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"I was not expecting you back so soon," Clockwork's smiling face greeted Sam as the dizziness settled, "Then again, you might say I was not expecting you back so late either."

"You have too many timelines to keep up with for your own good," Sam begrudgingly accepted the offered hand and stood on shaky legs, "Are you going to send me back?"

"We will wait for a few moments more," he smiled congenially, "then we shall decide."

Sam stared impatiently at the ghost before her, as he began to tidy the small room she had managed to land in. Medallions were placed back on their racks, books were neatly placed in the bookshelf beside her, and papers were ordered into some semblance of organized. Of course, Sam jealously noticed, this was three times easier when Time was under your control, and you could simply rewind the mess.

'Wish I could do that at home,' she thought wryly before something plowed her into the ground.

"Ah good, now you're both here," Clockwork again smiled, then moved to take the two medallions clutched in the young man's hand, "I believe that all may proceed now."

"Danny," Sam started sweetly as the halfa swallowed dryly in fear, "You have exactly three seconds to get off of me and help me up before I decide it's better to murder you than try to bring you back home!"

"I'm up, I'm up!" the teen was literally up, all the way to the ceiling to avoid the raging girl's wrath, "I didn't exactly aim for you, you know!"

"I don't exactly care right now, you jerk!" she yelled up towards Danny, "I thought you'd just left me again!"

"I…I wasn't going to," Danny floated lower, ignoring Clockwork's knowing eyes, "I didn't mean to make you think that. I even said 'we'd' need help, as in you _and_ me."

Sam refused to answer. Danny began to pout and brood. Clockwork just waited patiently. He had all the Time in the world, after all.

'I don't know what's worse,' Danny looked between Sam and the medallions hanging in their places, 'Sam being here and mad at me, getting the time wrong and having Pariah after both of us, or just letting Vlad stay there and ruin my chances to keep the timeline straight. Great, I cursed the U.S. to a lifetime of servitude to the Masters.'

Danny couldn't keep the frown and ever darkening funk he was in from showing on his face. The more time he had to think, the worse he realized it was. Yes, he could go back and fight Vlad, but that meant that the villagers would know something, and that would make it harder for him. They'd resist, and that was something he didn't want to deal with.

"Danny," the gentle lull of her familiar voice pulled him back from his despair.

"What?"

He hadn't meant to sound so sharp, hadn't meant to sound mean or ugly at all, but with everything he'd been through and all the horrible entities he had to deal with, brusqueness was a common day thing for him now. The hurt shown in her eyes, even as her voice stayed steady.

"I was just going to ask if you had a plan," Sam turned her back to him and crossed her arms, "So sorry for rudely interrupting your self-pity party."

"Children," the elder ghost finally felt it was his place to step in and redirect their conversation, "This is not the time, nor the place, for you to bicker. Sam, Danny is not the boy you once knew, and you must understand that. Daniel," the halfa swallowed at the tone Clockwork adopted, "please remember that you are in a lady's presence. She obviously cares for you deeply and you would do well to remember your manners."

Feeling thoroughly embarrassed and chastised, Danny caught himself rubbing the back of his neck; a habit he had long since thought lost to the hardships of life he had become used to. Sam, too, was taken aback slightly by the old, familiar gesture, and soon she was helplessly lost to laughter.

"What's so funny?" Danny found his question came out somewhere between annoyed and quizzical, and he soon had floated down to her side, "What?"

"It's just," Sam caught her breath, "You look like something from a haunted house, and you rubbed your neck like you used to, and it was just so…so weirdly out of place."

She fought back another wave of quite laughter, leaning back against the wall behind her and sliding down to sit, "I missed you. A lot, and I guess it was just so familiar…"

"Yeah?" he happily cracked a half smile, feeling lighter than he had in ages, intently watching every move his old friend made and drinking it in, "Well, I'm still me, just a little older and meaner I guess."

"Yeah, I guess so," he watched her smile sadly up at him, then pause slightly as their eyes locked, "But then again, so am I."

"Has a peace been made then?"

They both jumped as the forgotten ghost made his presence known once again. Sam blushed furiously at the way Danny had been looking at her, 'What in the world was that? He never looked like that before…then again, maybe it's the new look. It just makes him look so intense, in everything he does. He laughs, and it almost sounds maniacal, even if it isn't.'

"Yep," Danny smiled happily, landing fully and reaching out to pull Sam to her feet, "but I'm afraid our peace isn't going to last for very long."

"You are correct in that," Clockwork nodded grimly, "By the time you return, Pariah will already know of your failure."

"I don't understand though," Sam shook her head as she leaned closer to Danny, partly for being so worn out, and partly just for the comfort she garnered from it, "You told Danny that everything was going to happen like it should, but if I hadn't been there, he would have attacked Roanoke before it was time. Who knows what would have happened to the timeline then?"

Of course, even though the last question from Sam had been rhetorical, Clockwork managed to cock an eyebrow as if to say, "Who indeed?"

Sam quickly restated the question, slightly annoyed by the ghost who truly was a know it all, "Well, who besides _you_ knows what would have happened?"

Danny enjoyed a small chuckle at Sam's expense, earning himself a glare from the smaller teen, "Sam does have a point, though. You told me none of my friends would have to be involved in this."

"Not quite," Clockwork looked between the two of them, "I did say that no one you considered a friend would be irreversibly damaged in your absence, and I also stated that they would be kept separate from your involvement with Pariah Dark. I never said they would not be involved with your task however."

"That's the same thing," Danny felt annoyed, especially at the thought that Sam of all people had been pulled into this, "Sam doesn't deserve to get mixed up in this, It's dangerous and I don't want her caught in this mess. It's not her responsibility."

"But it's not really yours either, is it Danny?" Sam frowned as she stared at the masonry of the building around her, "Clockwork could have done this or found someone else…"

"No child," the named ghost shook his head sadly, "Just like in many other adventures Danny has had, it could be no one but him. To have someone else do this would change Time, and I can not alter it anymore than it has been and will be."

"Basically, I'm the only guy for the job," the halfa smiled half heartedly, "but I still don't know why Sam has to be part of it too."

"It is simply because this is the way things are to be and have already happened," he smiled gently. Explaining the delicacies of Time was never an easy task, "I saw here there, as I saw you there Danny, and so it had to be. I can not explain it in any easier context."

"I think I understand," Sam sighed deeply as she heard Danny do the same, "but what I still don't understand is why Pariah had Danny attack before it was time for Roanoke to disappear. Why would that happen?"

"It happened because it was supposed to," Clockwork decided it was time for the whole story from him, or at least up to a certain point, "Danny did what I saw him doing, as did you, as did Vladimir Masters. Everything is happening as it has happened before and as it will happen again."

"So all of this has been exactly what was supposed to happen?" Sam looked over at Danny, "Doesn't that mean that no matter what we do, we're doing the right thing?"

"Not necessarily," Danny shook his head, "That was one of the first things I learned, even before I had to do this for Pariah Dark. Back when we had those tests…with my older self. I still had free will, and I choose what would happen. I could choose to join Vlad for some weird reason, and then everything would come undone."

"It is free will that make human beings so unique," Clockwork chimed in, "You can still make the wrong decision in this journey, and so you must be ever vigilant against it."

"But how do we know?"

"We don't Sam," Danny sighed deeply, "We never do, so we just have to wing it."

"So the future of the world in general is relying on two teenagers 'winging it'?" Sam smirked, some of her old gusto back, "Sounds like another day in Amity Park back in the day. I'm up for it, if you are."

Danny had never felt more relieved than at her words. Just knowing that he had someone he could rely on there to back him up, just like it had been before, took a weight off his heart that he didn't even realize existed, "Definitely."

"So," Danny turned to face his mentor, "Any words of advice?"

"Simply to do what you feel is right, Danny," Clockwork smiled, "That is all that I have ever asked you do. However, there is one small piece of advice I can offer you."

Danny waited expectantly while Sam felt moments drift by, oddly detached from the moment surrounding herself. It seemed to stretch forever, and yet, Sam knew it was just a trick of Time, in this strange ward it was contained in and filtered through.

"My advice is that you listen to Sam," the Time ghost smiled as Sam was shocked from her pondering, "You have more Time than you think Danny, which means you have time to try again."

The next thing Danny or Sam knew, they were alone, floating in the green void of the ghost zone with three purple doors in sight and not a ghost to be seen or sensed for miles. A medallion adorned each of their necks, and Time seemed to sigh in relief as everything went the way it was meant to be.


	9. Hazards

**Roanoke**  
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_A note_: I made a boo-boo and just now realized it. The Native American tribe name was Croatians, not Croatoans. I had it wrong in the previous chapter I used it in, and in one of my review replies. I'm very sorry, but it's fixed in this chapter.

Oh and this is super long for you! I can't believe it's almost done, I'm so excited and happy, and yet sad, all at once. I hope you enjoy and if you have any questions, feel free to ask! Ps-I didn't get a chance to edit it, so if you see anything, let me know!

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

**Chapter Nine: Hazards**

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"It's been hours," Tucker sat watching the portal sadly, rubbing tiredly at his eyes before carefully replacing his glasses, "God, I hope she's okay."

"She'll be fine," Valerie tucked his hand into her own, trying to both quell his fear and her own with the gesture, "She's a lot tougher than we give her credit for…I'm sure she's fine."

The others could talk and shout and argue all they wanted over the missing girl. Tucker and Valerie were content in the solace they could offer one another in the face of another missing friend. It wasn't much, but at least they still had someone to cling to.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"I guess we're back to when we're supposed to be," Sam looked around, shivering slightly from the chill in the air, "Do you think Clockwork sent us ahead in Time or back to where we left from?"

"I'm not sure," Danny shook his head, reaching for Sam's hand before he started to move them forwards, "but I know a few ways we can check. And right now, asking Pariah isn't the safest way…"

"So what will we do?" she almost grabbed his hand back to her when he let go, then noticed the slight green that was bleeding onto his fingertips, "Oh…we go back."

"Yeah, but sneaky like," he wiggled his eyebrows up and down for the show of it, then gently began to tear away at the air before him, "Just a small hole to look around…"

Looking down on the little town that their hole was currently hovering over, the pair observed the village life proceeding as normal with a few exceptions. The man who Sam now knew to be Governor White was no where in site, though that could be accounted for by him being indoors. The other exception came in the form of Vlad Masters walking in period clothes, interacting with those around him, a young man at his side. All were heading towards the shore where a few boats were moored with various packages and supplies in their arms.

"That must be the boy that Vlad's related to," Danny quietly spoke, as though afraid the townspeople would hear him, "He probably got in good with him as quick as he could."

"Danny, we need to get closer," Sam gently pulled the boy's arm away from holding the gateway to the mortal world open, "We can't see what we need to."

"What do we need to see? I mean, I know Clockwork said that I should listen to you, but right now I have no clue what I should be asking," he shook his head as he let the rip sew itself back together, "All I know is that trying to face Dark is going to be annoying and not a little painful…"

"Danny," she sounded so unsure suddenly, and he turned to be met with a set of intensely questioning eyes, "Do you…for Pariah Dark I mean…do you really…"

She was fumbling for words and he knew what she was going to ask and dreaded it, not sure how he would answer her without her finding him a monster. That's what he felt he had slowly become, destroying towns, villages, civilizations, pulling people into the ghost zone to be ruled by and serve under Dark. He didn't even flinch anymore when he pulled someone in, and that scared him when he finally realized it almost a year ago…or a few months, whichever the right answer was in this strange version of Time.

"Do you really kill them?" and it was out, and she almost felt like she couldn't breath. Her eyes and throat were burning from the effort it took to hold back her tears. She already knew that something terrible had to happen…Danny wouldn't have changed so much otherwise.

"Not exactly," he turned from Sam, flushed with shame and embarrassment for his own actions, "Do you remember what it was like when Pariah pulled Amity Park into the ghost zone?"

He continued at her nod, "It's…it's almost like that. I can't pull whole towns or cities in yet, I mean, I'm strong, but that's just not one of my powers. I…I move the people, pull them in instead of the buildings and stuff."

"You've done this before, haven't you?"

"Yeah," his eyes almost lit with some of that boyish enthusiasm she was familiar with, "All those missing people and lost civilizations…that was me. I randomly show up when Pariah needed me, with the help of the medallions and Clockwork's directions. Atlantis, some of the Mayans, the Minoans, Lemuria, all those people, I did it."

"Atlantis," Sam thought she'd loose her breath, "but I thought…"

"Yeah, I know," he smiled tightly, "they really were amazing people. If we ever get out of this, I'm gonna' have to remember to tell you all about what I've seen."

"So wait, let me get this straight," she floated gently away from him, "You've been working for Clockwork, who sends you hopping around Time to help Pariah Dark, and pulling in all the lost civilizations that have been the great mysteries of the world for the past two years…and now, your final job, is Roanoke."

"Because it would alter history if I didn't," Danny smiled again, more assuredly this time, then frowned to himself, "I don't know about you, but I'd rather do all these horrible things and keep the world safe and Time like it should be, then try to run around fixing everything and end up ruining it all. Sam, if I changed one thing, everything will be different. There's even a chance that…that you wouldn't be alive, because you'd of never existed. Same goes for everyone we know."

"Danny, you don't have to try to explain," Sam watched him grow more upset, more desperate to explain his seemingly horrible actions to her, "I know why you're doing this, it's just…it's just strange."

"You don't have to try to sugar coat it," he shook his head, his back to her now, "What I do is horrible, and I really am like a monster stomping through someone else's life. I don't kill them, but they die eventually serving Dark. I hate what I do, but it's the right thing."

Gentle hands reached around him in an awkward hug, Sam's head resting against his back then, "You always do the right thing though, and that's one of the things I've always admired about you."

"Even if it takes me a while to figure out what the right thing is?" he turned in her embrace, locking his arms around her in return.

"Yeah, even then," and for a moment, everything was peaceful. Sam reluctantly drew back, finding a peaceful look on the halfa's face for the first time since she had found Danny, "We need to figure out when we are though…and that sounds really weird."

"You'll get used to it," Danny gave her one last squeeze before reaching forward with green fingers again, "Where do you want this to open? I can open it just about anywhere you want, I just have to have a general idea of where."

"That girl, Sarah, we need to find her and see if she's still pregnant of if she's had her baby," Sam watched his hands curiously as they glowed slightly brighter, "If Virginia Dare's been born, and Governor White is in England…that's when you can take the town."

"We still have Vlad to deal with though," he gently began to peal apart reality, "He's probably been there for months already, and that means he's probably earned everyone's trust."

"It won't matter though will it?" Sam peaked through the forming hole as it opened inside one of the little houses, "He was meant to be there, and we were meant to be doing this. Things turn out right Danny, they always do."

He simply nodded in reply, thanking her silently with his eyes for the much needed encouragement as he held the portal open, "Is this the right house?"

"No," the woman in the corner wasn't Sarah, nor did she have a baby, "We'll have to keep looking."

Ten houses later, Sam was beginning to think that something was wrong, before the door opened and Sarah walked in with a small bundle of cloth in her arms. Sam would have sighed in relief, would Sarah's attention not be drawn to the small floating hole in the back of her home because of it.

"Shush little one," she cooed to the babe in her arms, "I do not know why you so dislike Brother Masters so greatly, Virginia, but you must stop crying little one. Grandfather will be back soon, along with all the men who traveled with him, shh, shhh."

Green slowly closed, and both Virginia and her mother turned to look towards the back of the modest home at the tiny flash of light, only to find nothing there. Sarah sent a silent prayer for her father's safety as Virginia finally stopped crying and laughed. Sarah took this as a good sign and moved to lay the child down, ready to start her chores before her husband arrived home.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"You have returned," the voice echoed off the stone walls, rattling the masonry with it's volume, "How dare you return after your failure!"

"Dark," Danny said evenly back to the man before him, Sam behind him with shaking hands pressed against his back. She was nervous, but stayed where she was at, trusting in his ability to protect her. He felt humbled and nervous that she placed so much trust in him, even after his long absence in her life.

"Why do you know return?" the ghost king glared down at the young man and woman before him, "Why bring a hiding, worthless maiden? To beg for mercy for you?"

"Hey," Sam frowned as she gingerly stepped from behind Danny, her pride stinging at the remark, "I'm not a 'hiding, worthless' anything! And I don't beg."

"Is that so?" Dark leaned forward, smiling evilly, "I'm sure suitable arrangements for you to learn how to do so could be made."

"That's enough," Danny pulled Sam back behind him again, "I didn't come here the two of you to get into a glaring match, My Lord. I simply brought her because she will help pull the people that you require into your domain."

"She is a human," he sat back, "and we have yet to discuss your punishment for your failure, child. I do not accept failure."

"I have not failed," he remained firm, staring Pariah down in his conviction.

"You know, you have always impressed me with your willingness to look me in the eye," a smirk cracked the giant's face, "but that does not mean that I trust you, boy."

"I've earned your trust a thousand times over," Danny grimaced, fearing that things were about to take a turn for the worse, 'Okay, backup plan…tear hole and through Sam out while taking her Medallion, deal with super angry Pariah, then take the town in and hope it all works out…'

"Perhaps, but you have yet to explain your absence…or your failure," he grinning now, and it was downright scary. Sam swore that him smiling happily would equate to the old joke of her, Tucker, and Danny sitting down for tea and cookies with Skulker.

'Oh, Tuck,' Sam frowned to herself as she thought of how'd she'd just left her friends and family, 'I can't think about that right now. Focus Samantha, this is important.'

"There were difficulties that I couldn't handle alone, as loathe as I am to admit it," he felt Sam stiffen behind him, and knew she was mouthing 'Loathe?' to herself, "There is another ghost with powers similar to mine. He's been after me for years, and Sam," he looked over his shoulder, "has helped me defeat him many times, though recently we've had a…falling out."

"I plan to leave her in Roanoke for a few days to gain the ghost's trust," he smiled, wholly confident with his plan, "The other ghost knows we've been on bad terms and will use that to try and pit her against me. She'll be the distraction I need to destroy the other and claim your territory."

"Amusing, but weak," Pariah rubbed a hand against his chin, "You are lying to me somehow."

"No more so than I ever have," Danny shot back, grinning madly, eyes glowing eerily, "I'll have it done in seven days, and if I don't, there's nothing to stop you from finishing me and Sam off. You gained the Ring, surely you're confident in your own abilities to kill us both, Master."

Sam felt him tense at that particular word, knowing it burned him on the inside to ever call anyone that. He was prideful, even more so after he had gained his powers, and bowed to no one. It was another quality on the list of things she admired…and loved. She almost wanted to smack the smug ghost king for him, but thought rather quickly how stupid and suicidal that might be.

"You have three days."

"Five, she needs to gain his trust."

"It is done," he stood and held his hand up, "Fail me again and you will know a new definition of pain. Leave."

A flick of his wrist had both Sam and Danny flying backwards, propelled by some unseen force, like wind, but cutting and hot. Danny quickly flipped himself and caught Sam in his arms, shielding her as best he could as he took the brunt of the blast, then phased them through several walls.

They were out of the castle, and with hope in their hearts, about to start on the second most dangerous part of their day. Danny's hope quickly faded though, as he realized just what he was doing.

He was about to deliver Sam to his worst enemy…and she would have to be alone. He wasn't sure if he'd ever forgive himself for listening to her when she thought up this plan, but so far it was working. And it was all they had.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

It was dark, and yet, he was still vigilant, even after six months of peace. He knew that his opponent was not one to just give up, especially with such a powerful man at his back. He was fairly certain that the delay was a tactic against him, to lull him into peace.

The attack was certain, that much he knew, but what Vlad Masters hadn't expected was a stroke of good luck. His charge and ancestor, Jonathan, had accompanied the Governor on his trip to England to beg assistance from the Queen. He had one less thing to worry about, as his and his family's line was secured. He would still be born, and hopefully, still rule the New World in the future.

"Get out!"

The shout split the silence of the night, coming from the small barn across the way from where he had positioned himself. In a flash he was at the doors and phasing in, astonished to see a horrified Sam staring up at Danny as he let the portal shut behind him. It was the same seen Vlad had happened across in Clockwork's castle, and he relished the moment.

"D-Danny," Sam backed away as the halfa advanced on her, "I'm sorry, I won't cause any more trouble."

"You're right, you won't because you're staying here!" he shoved her roughly against the wall, watching her slide down, all the while chanting apologies in his head, "The next time I see you, I'll kill you, do you understand? The only reason you're alive is because of some strange childhood attachment I still have for you."

"Please don't leave, I don't even know where I am!" she grabbed his foot as he hovered above her, then closed her eyes, fully prepared for what was about to happen. The green energy coursed through her body, painful, but no where near as painful as it could have been. He was holding himself back greatly to avoid hurting her.

"You're in Roanoke, and that's where you'll die."

It was all for the sake of convincing Vlad, who'd they'd located before starting. This was their only chance to make him believe Danny was abandoning Sam.

It had taken hours for Sam to convince Danny it needed to be done. He refused to leave her at first, and then had an outright fit when she had told him he'd have to hurt her. It was tearing him apart, even as he preformed the dirty act. He'd hate himself for ages, but he had to do it…and he had to keep telling himself that as he watched her fall.

It was harder than he thought not to cry or just stop. It was harder than anything he'd ever done, including leaving her.

"Really Daniel, such violence?" Vlad finally pulled himself from the shadows, "Is it really necessary?"

"Necessary to make sure she stays away from me, yeah," he pulled away from both of them, "Keep her for all I care, but she's nothing but trouble and it's taken me years to figure it out. I figured the least I could do was drop her here."

"I might end up killing her," Vlad threatened, not entirely ready to believe the situation, though all signs from the encounter before implied that she was already trying the younger halfa's nerves when he had arrived, "Are you so sure you wish to abandon your little girlfriend?"

"Danny," Sam hesitantly looked between the two, "Please…at least let me go home, or…or…"

"She's not my girlfriend and never has been," he ignored her for a moment, then turned on her sneering, "and you're lucky I even thought to leave you here…it's your fault you got that medallion fused in you, so it's not my problem."

A rip in reality and he was gone, leaving Sam in the moonlit barn with Vlad Masters, breathing heavily and trying desperately not to cry. Or so it looked to the older man hovering over her with uncertainties fresh in his mind.

'I have become far too good at acting,' she thought as she let out a tiny squeak of alarm, curled in on herself, and scooted away from Vlad, 'I should get an Oscar, and yet no one will ever see…'

"What game are you two playing?" Vlad circled her, honestly not sure if she had been abandoned or if it was some ruse. She certainly seemed genuine in her distress, but pushing it slightly further would surely bring Danny out of the woodwork should he be lingering to protect her.

He leaned down, gently touching her cheek, watching as eyes so darkly blue they almost appeared an otherworldly violet gaze back at him. He almost wanted to believe, but he was not a fool, and using others had never bothered him before.

He jerked her forward by her hair, tears truly flowing and a cry half cut off still ringing in the air. He waited, she jerked at his hand trying to free her hand, and still there was nothing.

No Danny Phantom rushing in to protect his precious Sam.

"I see," Vlad let her hair slip from his grasp, "So not only has he abandoned you, but he has also remained loyal to Pariah."

"Please, Vlad," she choked, but it was more from her disgust at the man than from her tears, "I know you've never gotten along with we, I know you hate Danny, but please, at least let me stay here. I don't have anywhere else."

"I will allow you to stay," he frowned, "but do not think that I will not be watching you. Do not think that if you make one mistake I will hesitate to raise my hand against you."

"Thank you," she quietly looked down, "I understand, you have every right not to trust me…"

He turned then and left. He said she could stay, but he never said anything about taking care of her. She would have to fend for herself, and it was already past the time he should have turned in to gain some rest.

Red eyes in the shadows burned with hate at the man and what the situation was forcing him to do and go through. What he was forcing Sam to go through. And it took everything he had to not leap out right then, and damn the plan, and just take care of Vlad, the people, and the horrid little town.

Just so he could go to Sam, comfort her, and beg forgiveness a thousand times over for letting her be hurt or scared. For putting her through two years of…everything.

It had been two years of hell for him. He was sure it had been the same for her.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"_I don't want to do this Sam," and hand ran through the two-toned hair that she was just becoming used to, "I don't like the thought of leaving you with him, I hate the thought of hurting you…I don't' want to do this."_

"_Danny," she turned those eyes on him, and she always won with those eyes, "You don't want to do it, but I can't think of anything else… can you?"_

"_No," he took out his frustration on a door in front of him, "but that doesn't mean that we won't think of one eventually."_

"_We may have some time, but I'm pretty sure Clockwork didn't say we have all the time in the world."_

"_Sam, I…," he had to turn away from her, "I can't hurt you or let you get hurt. I just can't and I'm sorry, but you're…"_

"_You too Danny," she smiled shyly, filling in her own blanks for him, "You're special to me, and someone I really…care about. I was worried, every single day you were missing, it hurt. Knowing what you've been through, that hurts too."_

"_I don't want to just leave you with Vlad," he turned back to her then, hugging her to himself fiercely and selfishly, "Sam I care about you too, more than you'd ever realize."_

"_We'll make it through this Danny," she whispered into the side of his neck, "I know you won't let anything seriously hurt me, but you have to stay out of most of it, if it's going to work the way we need it to. You're going to have to blindside him."_

"_Is he really that much stronger than he was?" he frowned into her hair, enjoying the scent of her, something he'd been missing, "I should have just taken him out when I had the chance, damn the consequences of the villagers finding out. I would have been able to protect you."_

_His grip and tightened and Sam just held him, trying to ease away his fears and doubts, "You weren't sure what to do, and you were just trying to keep us safe. Vlad hasn't gotten that much stronger, or at least not that I've noticed, but I'd rather you be able to surprise him, than find out he's twenty times stronger."_

"_You've gotten smarter in the tactics department," he chuckled and pulled back slightly, face still tight, 'She's still my Sam, but she's so different.'_

"_I've had to learn," she smiled, "It was just me and Tuck and Val after you left. We make a pretty good team actually, but it's nothing compared to what you could do. We kept the town safe, but we couldn't keep the ghosts away."_

"_Why didn't you just…"_

"_We couldn't," she interrupted him, anticipating his question, "I couldn't shut the portal down, because I was waiting for a miracle…I was waiting for you to come home to me. To us."_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_I am too."_

And still, as Danny kept his silent, invisible vigil over Sam through that night and into the morning, he couldn't get that conversation out of his head. He loved her, for a while now, and had nearly said as much. She had too, and that was the part that kept the conversation rolling through his mind.

That and the unending feeling of guilt for what she had to do. Not that his part was going to be any easier when it came down to the fight, but he didn't matter.

Sam did.

And damn him if he didn't keep her safe throughout this.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

The town was whispering about the reappearance of the strangely dressed girl.

She had disappeared the night of the storm, and not hide nor hair of her had been found since, though they had searched under Governor White's orders. The man they had found, Vladimir Masters, had been more than willing to help, even going so far as to suggest the savages of the area had taken her.

Her reappearance had been sudden, and startling, but when she too mentioned the local native people, the Croatians, the villagers accepted her back, finding her proper clothing, food, and a place to stay. The poor child had surely been through horrors no woman should ever had had to face. The least they could do was help her in her time of need.

Already in the first day of her being there, several of the townspeople had approached her, asking for her story, and while telling it, Sam had noticed one man off to the side, picking at a post that was holding up a railing to tie animals to. She almost wrote it off when something from her research flashed through her mind.

'_One of the chief trees, or posts, had the bark peeled off, and carved on it in capital letters was the word Croatian, but without the Maltese cross or sign of distress that White had asked the settlers to use in such messages in the event of enforced departure from Roanoke Island.'_

It hadn't really been one of the main trees or posts after all…just some silly little bar to tie animals at, and somehow that amused Sam greatly. She finished her story, then carefully approached the man, trying her best to not let Vlad's eyes on her bother her. She wanted to know if her assumption was correct.

"Hello," she greeted quietly, giving a slight curtsy as was the custom she had noticed, "I noticed you carving something and wanted to see what it was."

"It is a word," the young man smiled back, enthused that someone took notice, "Would you like me to read it to you?"

Sam was taken aback for a moment before she remembered that most women at this time were not educated. Her surprised look didn't go unnoticed by the boy, and he smiled shyly, "I would not mind reading it to you, or teaching you how to spell it."

"I would like that," she smiled gently at him, and watched as he touched each letter and named it, telling her how they were pronounced and then the word they made up. He was truly a good teacher, and in modern times would have made a wonderful English teacher for younger students. She smiled her appreciation and mumbled her thanks.

Somewhere nearby Danny watched curiously as she sat and talked for more than an hour with the man who had been carving on a post. Her smile hadn't been that big for him, and jealousy tugged slightly on his heart until he saw her tug lightly at her ear.

It was his signal that she had something to tell him, and he moved closer to her as she stood to leave. They were well enough away from Vlad that he would not be able to sense the younger halfa.

It took Sam nearly an hour before she managed to slip away to a place where she could quietly talk to the air around her. She was at a well, fetching water with no one around when she quietly began to speak, "Danny…"

A brush of cold let her know he was there.

"This is the right time, I have proof," she began to haul the water bucket up, "In my research I found out that the word 'Croatian' was carved on a post in the town…and that man just carved it. At least we know it's the right time."

She knew he was smiling, could feel it in the gentle hand on her cheek that was his thanks. The rest of her day went smoothly, as did the next. Sam kept herself as distanced from the people as possible.

The last thing she needed was to grow attached to the people she was helping to doom.

She never noticed that Vlad's eyes had started to linger on her the longer she spent apart. She never noticed that perhaps she was distancing herself too much.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"I don't know what to do, Maddie," Jack Fenton turned to his wife, sadly setting several tools down on the bench behind her, "I can't think of anything that might help…"

"I can't either," she sighed heavily, "I've been thinking so hard on this, and everything I try just lands me back at square one. I don't have anything that can get us past that knight ghost…he has too much of an advantage on us."

The pair was silent for a few moments, before Jack took his wife into his arms, small tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes as she whispered to him, "It feels like we've lost another child, Jack."

"I know, baby," he curled himself around her, bloodshot eyes matching her own, "I know."

Tucker and Valerie sat sadly by and watched. Neither could think of anything to say, and so they sat in silence, desperately clinging to the hand they still held.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

'Three days,' Sam sighed to herself, desperately wishing she could escape the itchy clothes, the smell of people who didn't bathe regularly, the tiring chores, and overwhelming watchfulness of Vlad, 'Only two more days, I can do this…if I can get a good night's sleep.'

She had been given a place to stay, but had been sneaking out to the barn to sleep. She wasn't comfortable taking the hospitality of a person she was sentencing to live in the ghost zone, and she definitely wasn't comfortable with the fact that Vlad was just two houses down.

As soon as she was in the barn, she quietly began to pull the odd clothing off her body, revealing her normal clothing of pants and a tank top underneath. It was far cooler, and allowed her greater mobility. In short, she was just more comfortable.

The barn was a relief, and every night she had gone, though this was the first night Danny appeared. The first two nights they had been careful, not even speaking for fear that Vlad was watching, but he never appeared near the barn. He simply sat up half the night on his porch, staring into the night as if guarding it from Pariah himself.

"He's desperate," Danny commented, easing back into sight, "He's still watching for Dark or for me."

"He's got a lot at stake," Sam sat in the hay tiredly, ready to drift off at any given moment, "I mean, he could be ruling the United States after this is over, I'd be a little paranoid too."

He gently sat beside her, snuggling into the warmth of the hay as she had, snickering at her opinion that Vlad was paranoid. He could imagine the man jumping at every stray sound, every night for the past however long it had been, and he honestly couldn't say he felt bad for him.

Rather, a sudden vicious glee raked through him, and he felt good for it. Glad that Masters lived with something that frightened him, and proud that for once, Vlad was afraid of him, 'How the tables have turned, old man. No more 'little badger' now, huh?'

A wicked chuckle escaped Danny's throat just as Sam started to lean against him to doze off, and she bolted upright again, sending him a worried look, "What was that?"

"What was what?" the red eyes peered back at her in the dark of the rickety building, "You mean why'd I laugh?"

"Something like that."

It had startled her a little, that laughter that usually came from the bad guy coming from the halfa next to her. But then again, the voice he commanded now sometimes sounded that way, and his look practically screamed the word 'evil' to the world.

"I was just thinking how karma finally caught up with Vlad," Danny smiled, pulling her back against him, "Don't worry, I'm not plotting the fall of mankind or anything like that."

"Good," Sam sunk into his side, tired from her day of chores and all her previous activities in the ghost zone, and very grateful for something other than hay to sleep on, "because I'd hate to be in love with the bad guy."

He was silent for a moment, letting those words sink in, letting it strengthen his resolve to keep her safe, "No worries there Sam. Get some rest, okay?"

"No need to tell me twice, Inviso-Bill."

"I thought I had finally gotten away from that," he teased gently, cautiously running a hand through her hair, "Curse you Sam, for reminding me of my terrible and embarrassing nickname."

"You know what they say," Sam started but didn't quite finish as she enjoyed his ministrations to her scalp, and Danny, in his curiosity, nudged her until she started speaking again, "You know, something about payback…"

Danny laughed to himself, a soft sigh coming from him then, "Yeah, I know that one."

It was quite and Sam's breathing was becoming more and more even, before Danny gently nudged her one last time, "Hey Sam?"

"Hm?" her reply was quite, but she was not lost to sleep yet.

"I love you too," and he smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist and sighed in contentment, 'Not exactly the way I wanted to tell her, but good enough.'

The pair rested, Danny sitting up giving her something to rest against as she fought for her hard earned sleep and won not ten minutes later. The lull of her breathing was alluring and Danny felt himself giving in to the urge to lie down next to her. He hadn't had much sleep over the last few years, and this was too good an opportunity to pass up…even if it was in itchy hay.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

The door to the barn creaked open, letting the dew drift in to chill the teens snuggled down into the hay. Under normal circumstances in a normal time, he'd taunt them, tease Danny into making some mistake, but this was not normal.

He'd been lied to, and had fallen for it.

Vlad Masters was not a man to be lied to, and decided to strike while opportunity was knocking at his door. What he didn't know, however, was going to cost him dearly.

What he didn't know was that Danny had woken the moment the door began to make a sound. He hadn't spent two years of his life, doing this dangerous job, without gaining a sense of self preservation.

What he didn't know was that Danny had had time to think. Time to realize that yes, Vlad had been his better in years past when he was younger…but Danny had been close to besting him several times as he grew older. Two years serving under the ghost king himself certainly had added to his experience, and Danny realized that Vlad hadn't had much in the way of a challenge in the past few years.

In short, Danny had stopped being afraid of the man who was now in front of him and Sam.

One red eye opened as Vlad took the last step to close the distance, "I wouldn't do that."

He was deadly serious and deadly calm in his statement, the meaning clear to anyone who had heard him speak. Sam hadn't so much as stirred, her left arm lightly draped across his chest moving with his rhythmic breathing.

He phased through her in a second as Vlad boldly moved forward anyways, and tackled the elder halfa through the barn wall. That certainly had Sam on her feet in an instant, the odd crashing sound that was muffled somehow by the fighting pair. It seemed the two men were in agreement over sound. No one was saying a word, and both were fighting as quietly as they possibly could.

Vlad didn't want the townspeople awake to witness him fighting. It would ruin his chances with Jonathan when he returned. Danny just wanted to keep the townspeople asleep. It was far easier to pull them into Pariah's realm if they weren't conscious and able to resist him. Simplicity and silence were key factors in what he could do, and he could do them well.

It was over in quickly, with a disoriented Vlad penned beneath Danny, who was predatorily smiling down at the older man, looking ready to kill. A derisive snort pulled Vlad's attention to the young man's whole face, and just as he was about to speak Danny reach through his clothes and pulled up a medallion.

"Have fun and say hi to Clockwork for me," came the ominous message from the victor as he phased it off, and Vlad fell back through Time, not gently floating as he had before, but falling and powerless to stop it.

It had taken all of five minutes, and though the struggle was anticlimactic, he was still bursting with pride and adrenaline. He appeared so suddenly in front of Sam, she wasn't sure what was going on until her mind registered that yes, there were lips on her own, and yes, it was definitely _her_ halfa who was kissing her.

'Okay,' Sam thought as she gently pressed back against him, green already starting to dance in the edge of her vision, swirling around his fingertips in that sickly green color she had seen so many times in the past few days, 'I could get used to this.'

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Welcome back," a voice pulled him up from the depths of unconsciousness he found himself in, "You always have been punctual in your misadventures Vladimir Masters. Many times have I thought Time would follow a new course because of your meddling."

Vlad had felt chilled at Danny appearance only a few moments ago, the teenager looking ready to tear him to pieces, red eyed and wildly violent, but the tone that this ghost's voice took shook him to his core. Never one to sit back, Vlad formed a plan as swiftly as he could, relying on his speed to get him to the medallions that were mere inches from his face.

Of course, when you control Time, a person's speed and skills almost seem laughable. Danny could have told him that from personal experience. He found that Clockwork didn't just control time, no, he was the master of it, and with good reason.

Vlad suddenly felt very much as though a remote was controlling his ability to move. Fast forward, stop, rewind, pause, and play, all suddenly intimate parts of his life. For the second time that day, Vlad tasted defeat and it was certainly a bitter pill to swallow.

Adding insult to injury, however, Vlad found himself in a replica of that thrice damned thermos he had feared being pulled into for years. Clockwork just sat back and admired his collection. It was about time that he'd finally added that second piece.

He nodded and saw that it was good, and so it was. He left the room with a grin on his face that he hadn't had for years, or minutes, millennia.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"She's been so quite lately," Jeremy sighed resignedly as he finally started talking with the Fentons, "but more open with us. She actually sat down and had dinner with us last night."

"After…your boy," Pam for once was trying to be gentle towards the Fentons, "well, she'd been so quite, not herself at all. We've been trying, so hard. I thought it might have been helping."

"It was," Tucker piped in, "She mentioned it a few times, how nice it was that you were starting to try to understand her."

"She was," Valerie averted her glance, "she was hurting. A lot more than any of us were."

"I just want my little girl back," Jeremy held his wife close, as Jack did the same with his, "I want her home safe."

"We all want her back safely," Maddie spoke up, pulling away from Jack's massive arms, "but we aren't going to get anywhere just sitting around. If we keep trying we'll get past Fright Knight eventually."

"You're right," Tucker stood and helped Valerie to her feet, watching as she held her weight off her injured ankle, "We've got to try."

"But how," Valerie looked at the portal, "How do we get past him?"

"I don't know," Jack shook his head, "but I'm sure that giving up isn't an option. We rested, now let's get back to business. How about it, baby?"

"Sounds good to me."

And so they did, and they all felt better for at least trying, even if they all had the same doubts floating through their hearts.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Ready?" Danny laid his forehead against Sam's, smiling brightly for the first time in what felt like ages, "It's going to feel really weird."

"I'm ready," Sam nodded and smiled.

"I don't know if it will hurt," he swallowed nervously, "I mean, you being human and all."

"I'm sure it's gonna' be fine," Sam closed her eyes, "We're going home after this right?"

"Yeah," Danny said as he moved back and positioned her at his side, "We're gonna' go home."

Another storm kicked up as Danny's eyes shone brightly, the green from his hands lighting Sam's face as she watched in amazement at everything he was able to do. What few metal items they had were twisted and bent, whole trees and large boulders moved easily under the artificial wind.

"This is where it get's weird," he shouted against the storm he was creating, reaching out to pull her against him, "Hold onto me, so it doesn't take you too. I don't want Pariah to think I'm sacrificing you or something."

She held on tightly and watched. The sickly green light from his fingertips that he used to rip the barrier between the human and ghost world pulsed, then spread from him, engulfing the entire village of Roanoke. Every man, woman, and child became visible, green wrapped around them before the were snapped upright with a small gesture from Danny's hand. Sweat rolled off his brow as he concentrated, a frown showing how hard he was working to draw them all in.

As soon as they were upright, they vanished, pulled away in mere seconds to another world, and Sam couldn't help it as a few tears rolled down her cheeks, "The people."

"They'll be…okay," Danny frowned at the slightly ruined, and emptied, village, "Pariah Dark isn't the sort of ruler who tortures for fun. He'll work them hard, but his main reason he wants them is they provide him with more power. That's why I only take isolated colonies and towns…no one every truly knows what happens to them. They'll be his for as long as he's in power, but that won't be much longer."

The smile on Danny's face had her tears drying and she didn't have to ask him before he continued to talk, "He's nearly found his crown. It wasn't much longer after that that the ancient ghosts sealed him in his sarcophagus. They'll be free in a few years, just like all the other people's spirits he's had me catch to serve him. Clockwork told me that right after I'd leave, he'd find the Fright Knight…so everything works out."

"It's nice how it always works out," Sam looked up at him, "and it's nice how we're finally going home."

"You have no idea," Danny looked around him, smiling like the proverbial kid in a candy shop, "but first, you tell me, oh Ms. I-Know-Everything-About-Roanoke, do I get to destroy the buildings or no?"

Sam couldn't help it and nearly laughed in his face, but turned quickly to laugh into her hands, shaking her head yes, while he pouted and began knocking the buildings over, one house at a time. The irony of the entire situation was starting to get to Sam, and not for the last or first time, she wondered if she had finally snapped.

Watching Danny fly back to her after finishing his job, she knew it was alright. Anything that happened after this would be fine, so long he understand that she'd kill him if he ever up and left again. They'd be fine after he'd gotten that in his head. Grabbing her outstretched hand, Danny pulled her into the air with him, laughing freely as they simply flew over the untamed forests of the North American coastline, somersaulting and living in the freedom of the moment.

He eventually slowed his joyful flight, pulling Sam to him and gingerly kissing her again. He reveled in doing so, and would make good on the opportunities he had been presented because of it. He was ready to go home, but he had one final thing to do.

Pulling open a portal to the ghost zone, he prepared for a moment he'd been waiting for for two years. With Sam at his side, Danny walked through to the ghost zone, knowing that she was beside him for this, and for whatever else might happen. For when he had to go back, and for when he had to get used to the world he'd thought lost to him.

But she'd be beside him for it all…and he'd never felt more thankful in all his life.


	10. Exodus

**Roanoke**  
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_A note_: The characters might seem like they're a little OOC, but please remember all the traumatic events they've been through, both recently and over the past few years. Also, please take into account exactly what Danny's been doing. If that doesn't take a psychological toll on someone, I don't know what would.

The next chapter should smooth all that out, though, and all the bits I left unfinished here, including Fright Knight. It's going to be a humongous chapter, so get ready for it.

This is the last chapter of the story…the next after this will be the epilogue, clearing up the next few months, hopefully taking care of any loose ends this chapter leaves, and everyone's readjustment to Danny being home. (Not edited yet, sorry!)  
I hope you enjoy!

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

**Chapter Ten: Exodus**

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Welcome home, young warrior," one of Pariah's lackeys beamed down at the boy, thrusting a mug of something that looked like hot, dirty mop water into his hands, "Drink!"

"Thanks," Danny took a swallow, choking down the foul tasting mead, as Sam tried to keep her thoughts to herself about how weird his face looked, "Celebrating my return or my catch?"

"Catch," Dark appeared behind him, nearly scaring him witless from his booming voice, then laughing as the boy jumped and brandished a scythe from out of nowhere, "We've gained enough energy from these one hundred to aid in the conquering of Agnon's citadel in the southern reaches. I will soon have my crown."

"Well," Sam commented with her eyebrows raised, stepping to stand beside Danny and face Pariah Dark full on, "that's certainly an accomplishment. Congratulations."

"Speaks for herself, doesn't she?" Dark looked between the two, "You should teach your wench manners."

"She's got plenty of manners Dark," Danny cracked a smile, scythe disappearing and Sam suddenly curious as to where it went until she heard the rest of his reply, "Besides, I like 'em feisty."

"You're dead," Sam growled out, turning to him with a blush.

"I know," he replied with a smile, then laughed at her astonished face, "Isn't it great?"

"I have another task for you," Pariah cut off their conversation, none too pleased that his favorite, if nameless, vassal had taken to such distractions as women, "and you are to leave the girl here."

"You know, I don't think so. I think I'm done Pariah, and we're leaving," and Danny clocked the Ghost King with a glowing fist, tugging both his and Sam's medallions off as quickly as he could, "Hope I never have to see your ugly mug again!"

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Do you have to be so dramatic?" her head was pounding, and the rough landing she'd had on the stone cold floor at Clockwork's wasn't helping matters, "Seriously, punching Pariah Dark?"

"What?" Danny helped her to her feet, drawing back slightly from the wrath he was sure was coming from her smaller form, "I've been waiting to do that for two years…I've had it planned out since the second day I started helping him."

"You've returned safely," Clockwork appeared around a corner of his home, "I am glad. Danny, your work is done, as is yours Sam. You both may return home now."

"Thank you," Sam smiled happily at his kind, if abrupt assertion. She was ready to be back in a familiar setting. Danny simply nodded, and started to speak when Clockwork held up his hand and cut him off.

"There is nothing else needed from you Danny," he lowered his hand, a sincere smile on his face, "You've done all that Time requires of you. When you return home, I will only see you again if you choose to visit."

"I will," Danny nodded, "Clockwork…thank you."

"Of course," he nodded as well, matching Danny's expression with his own enigmatic glance towards two metal thermoses on a shelf, "It was my pleasure."

"Your pleasure?" Sam chimed in, but before she could get another word out, both she and Danny were gone, leaving Clockwork alone in his home once again, chuckling at the quite, muffled curses coming from the two prisoners on his shelf.

"Yes, Samantha, it's truly my pleasure. You both deserve it, after all."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Well," Tucker looked between the two Fenton elders, "if we can't get in through this portal, maybe we can make another portal…"

"That would take at least a week," Maddie shook her head, "and several thousand more dollars than we have on hand right now. Our money comes from grants for our research, and we can't justify a second portal when the first is still functional."

"Money is not an issue," Jeremy stated assuredly, pulling out his checkbook, his wife nodding determinedly at his side, "With everything we've heard and seen, it would be money well spent if we could just have Samantha back."

"Well, that takes care of two things," Valerie smiled, then gently moved her ankle, "In a week I'll be back up to speed and able to help fight. I might not have been able to take him down on my own, but I'm sure between all of us we can get him."

"Well, I say we regroup upstairs and get something to eat and drink," Jack rubbed his stomach as it started to growl, "Preferably some fudge if we have any."

The hopeful look on his face had the other five smiling tightly, before Maddie nodded, heading upstairs with the rest trudging behind her. Rest, food, and something to drink would do them all good, and flicking off the light behind the last out she pulled the door to. The door shut gently, and no one noticed the tiny thump and green flash that showed around the edges of the door.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Ow," Sam's voiced echoed through the dark, "Danny get your knee out of my stomach!"

"Me? You can get your hand off my face and out of my eyes, please!"

"Off! Now!"

"Geeze, I'm off, you'd think it'd be cool to be all over a girl in a dark room by yourself," his eyes glowed lightly, then his hands, only to find Sam glaring at him from her spot on the floor, "Kidding, Sam, I'm kidding!"

"I know," she smirked, then held out her hand, "Help me up and I'll forgive you."

He pulled her up easily, then extended the range of the light coming from his hand, finding himself in a room he'd visited only a few nights ago, but hadn't truly been in for two years, "Home…"

He spun around, eyes latching on the portal closed behind him, though still on, "Sam, we're back. I'm home."

The green Sam had saw time and time again formed on Danny fingertips and before she could get a word in edgewise, Danny had pulled open a hole revealing the living room, six people sitting around eating and looking grim.

"Danny," she rushed to get it out, but didn't quite make it, "I really don't think that you should…"

"Mom!" and he pulled her through the hole with him, red eyes, strange hair, black clothes and all. Sam shut her eyes, held his hand and her breathe, and hoped for the best.

"Dad!"

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Mom!"

It sounded like it was echoing from somewhere so far away.

"Dad!"

It leapt around the room, and with it seeped the cold. Their eyes, ranging from blue to brown, turned to the far left corner of the room, a green glowing portal with ripped and burning edges, widening by the second, Sam's slender form, pulled out by…

"Ghost!"

Both Fentons were on their feet in seconds, as was Valerie, though she grimaced with the effort it took to stand so suddenly on her ankle. Tucker's eyes were wide, a hand sneaking up to pull his glasses off, lest somehow they were fooling him. The Mansons clung to one another, torn between elation at their daughter being safe, and horror at the ghost dragging her after him.

"Ghost," Danny looked down at himself, then held up his hands, trying to ward off whatever attack might come, "No, wait! I can explain!"

"Stop it," Sam let go of his hand and dropped to the floor, stepping in front of him protectively, "Don't do anything stupid, he's the good guy."

"Sam," Danny grabbed her, pulling her back while he held up a hand, green flickering in front of them to block a ray shot from Maddie's gun as he did so, "That was not smart."

"Phantom," Valerie's voice was calm, but no less menacing, "You have about two seconds to let her go, or I'll rip you apart myself."

"What?" he looked between Sam and the rest of them, "You've got to be kidding me."

"Uh, _Phantom_?" Tucker even looked a tad unsure of the situation, Danny's whole appearance throwing him off, "You look different…and holding her like that might not be the best way to convince people you're a good guy."

"Geeze," the ghost rolled his eyes, "Of all the stupid…fine, here."

And with what appeared to be minor concentration, Danny Phantom slowly started to melt back into his former self. Eyes returned to glowing green, hair, boots, gloves went back to silvery white, and his symbol reappeared on his chest, "Man, I've been wanting to do that for two years now! Still look good Sam?"

He let her hand drop, but kept his shield up, just in case. Sam blushed and nodded her head, blushing harder at his knowing look. Tucker's jaw dropped at that scene, and Valerie sunk back next to him on the couch in confusion. The Mansons followed her lead.

"What is going on?" Maddie demanded, not moving from her position. Jack stood beside her, glaring menacingly at the ghost before them.

"I bring Sam back safe and sound…" he rolled his eyes as he relaxed slightly and dropped the green plate before them, "You could say thank you."

"I'll say thank you," Jeremy was white as a sheet, but swallowed his fear for his child, "when you return her to my wife and I."

"Okay," he shrugged, "She's free to go wherever she wants, I just pulled her back behind me so she wouldn't get hurt. I…care about her too much to let that happen."

Sam blushed again, and Tucker started to get suspicious, "Why did you look like that anyways, all creepy?"

"What's with the fifth degree?" Danny's shoulder's sagged, his eyes widening in disbelief, "I finally make it home after _two years_ and all anyone does is treat me like I'm some sort of psychotic killer."

"Not to be mean," Sam rolled her eyes, stepping towards her parents as she spoke, "but your new 'look' doesn't exactly inspire confidence in people."

"I changed," he indignantly crossed his arms and pouted as Sam ignored him in favor of her parents.

"Hi Mom," Sam leaned in to hug her mother, who was nearing hysterics and latched onto her. Her father followed suit immediately, "Hi to you too Dad."

"Don't you ever do that again, Samantha Elizabeth Manson," her mother held her at arm's length for a moment, "Do you understand me young lady? I was so worried about you. What if something had happened?"

"I'm fine Mom," but her mother just held her closer. Tucker watched Danny glance between his own parents and Sam's family with longing, indecision running across his face for a few moments, before his eyes hardened.

"Look," the halfa stepped forward, only to stop suddenly as both Jack and Maddie raised their weapons, "I don't care what anyone thinks anymore. I've been through so much in the past two years, and I don't think anyone is gonna' understand…so I don't care if you experiment on me, or are angry because I never told you about this."

"Man, you aren't," Tucker breathed in amazement, Sam sending the teen the same puzzled look.

"Yeah Tuck," Danny smiled, blue rings forming around his waist, "I am."

Phantom became Fenton in front of them all.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Everyone stood still, all of them seeming to hold their breath, for exactly three seconds. No one moved, no one looked around, no one made a single sound. Three seconds, no more nor less than that.

All their eyes were on the boy in a red and white t-shirt, blue jeans, and tennis shoes. Messy black hair hung low over ice blue eyes, lower than it ever had before. The innocent face was a little older, and a little wiser, but still boyish in its appearance, and Maddie rushed to him, wrapping him tightly in her arms and holding him. She couldn't find words through her joy.

Jack stood stock still, tears coming to his eyes. It took several tries, but finally he managed a small, "Danny boy?" and stepped forward cautiously, almost as though afraid he'd disappear. Three huge steps and he was at his child's side, noticing how much taller his son had become, how much older, how different and yet…

"My boy," and his arms were around him, engulfing both his son and his wife, "You're really alive…"

Sam sat happily with her shocked parents, both of whom were still holding her. Her father had an arm firmly around her shoulder, her mother gently held her left hand. It finally felt right to be next to her parents this way, even if it had taken such drastic changes to get her there. And it all felt right.

Now it wasn't just Sam who had stopped running. They all could, and she closed her eyes and breathed the most beautiful sigh of relief she'd ever felt. He was home, and he was safe, in everyway.

"Danny?"

'Almost everyway,' Sam quickly amended, as she scrambled up from her seat to get between Danny and the approaching, hobbling Valerie, "Valerie, please…"

"Get out of my way Sam," tears were in her eyes, but whether they were from relief, hate, or both, Sam couldn't tell and so she didn't budge, "Get out, of my way."

"Why?" she had become so close to the girl in front of her, and everyone watched the strange mixture of feelings washing over both girls faces, 'Still friends, or enemies again? Which is it, you have to choose, I know you don't want to, I'm sorry…'

Sam's thoughts were racing a million miles a second, her heart feeling like it matched her mind's pace. Valerie's tears broke over her lashes, spilling on her cheeks as she shook her head, "I'm going to hug him, Sam…and then beat him within in an inch of his life! Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Valerie peered over Sam's head, locking eyes with Danny, "Why didn't _you_ ever tell me?"

"There wasn't exactly ever a good time," Danny seemed to shrink away from her gaze, "Between trying to keep you from killing me, and trying to get over a crush on you, I couldn't really think of a way…"

"Seems like you did pretty well just now!"

"Can we just talk about this later, Val?" Danny pleaded with his eyes, "I'll let you beat me up all you want, if it'll make you feel better."

She gave a small 'humph' and stepped up beside Sam, arms folded and foot tapping.

"I'll take that hug now though," he looked at the ground, then snapped his eyes up to Sam who was glaring him down, "In a totally platonic way!"

Sam smiled, and Valerie couldn't resist a small smile of her own at the look that had passed between the two, "I always knew you two lovebirds would end up together."

"We're not lovebirds!"

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Eight glasses of milk, two plates of cookies, one plate of fudge, and three hours later had both sets of parents and Valerie filled in on nearly everything that had happened between the accident with the portal and the time Danny went missing.

One hour and another plate of cookies later, and Tucker, Sam, and Valerie were done filling in the Fentons, all three of the Fentons that is, and the two Mansons in on their adventures from the time Danny went missing to that afternoon when both Sam and Danny had stepped into the living room.

At the end of their tale, Sam turned to look at Tucker, the question burning her inside out, desperate to know, "How long was I gone?"

"I got your call early this morning Sam," Tucker cocked an eyebrow in confusion, "Just how long did you think you were gone?"

"She was with me for at least a week," Danny puzzled, then chuckled to himself, eyes closed and a solemn thank you sent towards the time ghost, "Time works differently in the ghost zone. I was gone for two years, but I traveled through thousands of them while I was gone. Sam was gone for a few hours, but spent days with me…"

"You were with a boy, unaccompanied for days?" her mother looked ready to faint. Leave it to Pam Manson to find scandal in a situation like this, "Samantha…"

"No," Sam's eyes widened, her face turning red, "We didn't do anything! We didn't exactly have time, I mean, the most inappropriate thing that happened was I fell asleep on him in a hay pile from exhaustion."

"You slept with him?!"

Sam hung her head until it rested in her hands, "Why, why are my parents so weird…"

"Um," Danny hesitantly patted her back, "I'm sorry?"

"Hands off my daughter! Have you no respect?"

"Hey, my Danny has plenty of respect. No boy of mine would ever try anything without at least giving her a ring first."

"Dad!"

"Of course it would just be a high school ring, so they could go steady…"

"Mom, please make it stop…"

"Jack…really now, you're making it worse."

Tucker just smiled, watching happily, "At least the world is right again."

"Says you," Sam cut in, leaning against his shoulder to hide her blushing face, "Tuck…make it go away."

"Sorry Sam," he wrapped an arm around her in a friendly hug, letting her hide in his side more effectively, "No can do. Besides, we're lucky it's getting back to normal so quickly. I mean, your parents and Danny's parents are fighting, so that's normal. You two are still denying your undying love, so that's normal. Valerie doesn't know whether to hug Fenton or kill Phantom, so that's normal, and I'm enjoying it all!"

"Like normal," Valerie cut in with an amused shake of her head, "Or almost normal. I can't believe you two just didn't tell me. We were friends for two years, that should have counted for something."

"It did," Sam finally resurfaced, firmly ignoring the heated three way argument, "but it wasn't our secret to tell you. I promised him, and I don't like breaking my promises. Besides, it was practically my fault anyway."

"Yeah," Valerie nodded, starting to understand all the pain her friends had been in over the past two years, "I see."

And she did. They hadn't just lost Danny, but they had lost their protector as well. They had lost a friend, a loved one, a hero, a teammate. And they didn't just lose him, but feared the worst. Enemies finally winning, him being captured, tortured, any number of horrible things…and still…

"Danny," Valerie's voice cut through the embarrassing conversation at hand, concern and uncertainty in her tone, "Those two years…what did you do?"

"I don't," he swallowed hard, his face growing stoic and his eyes hardening, "I don't think we should talk about that yet."

His eyes flitted to Sam, who nodded her silent agreement. It would be best to wait while the other readjusted to him. Learned that he wasn't the same boy who had disappeared his sophomore year of high school, but rather he was independent, hardened, and experienced in life…and literally death.

"That doesn't mean we won't ever talk about it though," Sam's eyes implored him to speak, and so he did, "I just need time to figure out how to say it all."

It had all felt so normal until that question and all the things he had done rushed back to him. He hadn't been in an actual house, let alone his home, for more than twenty or thirty minutes at a time. He had been inside for several hours now and was starting to grow nervous, uncomfortable. Especially with everything playing back through his mind, 'Out, out, out…I gotta' get out…'

He stood abruptly, clearing his throat and pushing his chair back as he did so, "I'll…I need to go. I'll be back in a while."

To his parent's and Sam's parent's and Valerie's amazement, he was gone. No poof of smoke or sound to denote his departure. He simply vanished, and Sam and Tucker could only look at the spot where he had been sadly. Tucker may not have known the details, but he knew his friend. Something was very wrong with Danny, and Sam knew what was going on.

"Um, I had better get going," he stood too, "It's been a long day, and my parents are probably going to ground me for eternity when I get back. I'm glad your safe Sam."

A quick hug passed between the two, but it was by no means small. The gesture was huge and shouted relief and thanks and worry and hope, "Can I walk you home Valerie?"

"S-sure," she stood slowly, "Let me just grab my crutches and we'll go. It is getting late."

"We'll be going then too," Pam stood, always knowing when to gracefully exit and how, "Jeremy, fetch my coat from downstairs would you?"

"Of course," he stood and pushed in both his and his wife's chair, "I'll meet you on the porch."

With the other three gone, Pam turned to her only child and hugged her, "I expect you home later tonight young lady, but I think it's important that you stay here for a while longer. Have Danny…walk you home."

"Thank you," Sam whispered into her mother's neck, "Thank you Mom."

A peck to her forehead and Pamela Manson was through the hallway and out the door, meeting her husband and heading to the car that had arrived to pick them up. She had a lot to explain to Jeremy about where their precious daughter was, but she knew it would be alright. They had a very long time to spend with her, and they could spare her for a few hours more before they suffocated her with parental affection.

"Sam," Maddie reached for her hand, "I know he doesn't want to talk about it, and honestly with the way he reacted…I'm not sure I'm ready to hear about it yet. But…was he…is he okay?"

Jack paused in opening the fridge door, his interest in getting more milk quelled for the moment by the conversation behind him.

"He's going to need time," Sam spoke slowly, but honestly, "What he did today was a really big thing for him. He's been so worried about you finding out. About both of you finding out. He knew you'd still love him, but he wanted you to figure it out on your own I think. To figure out that Danny Phantom wasn't like other ghosts."

"We always thought he was causing trouble, because we never knew about anything else that was happening," Jack finally opened the fridge and pulled the milk carton out, bringing it back to the table with him, "We only saw the ghost kid in the middle of a mess and thought that it had to be him."

"If we'd known," Maddie pushed down her tears, "Would this have happened? Could we have prevented him going missing?"

"No," Sam looked away, "nothing in the world could have kept him for going."

"Not even us?" her desperate voice pulled Sam's eyes back to her own.

"No," but this time Sam smiled, knowing what she had to say, "but only because he's such a hero. He had a job to do, and he did it. He knew that we'd miss him, and it wouldn't be the most…pleasant thing for him, but he had to do it, and he didn't back out."

"Raised him right," Jack nodded to himself, a proud smile hovering on his lips as well as a bit of a milk mustache.

"Yeah," Sam squeezed Maddie's hand gently, "He's the bravest person I know. He always does what's right, never backs down from a challenge, and tries harder than anyone I've ever seen. I don't know how he does it, I never did…"

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

A dark alley, a scared child, and a malicious ghost, ready to jump and reveling perversely in the small human's fear of it.

Blue and green flashes, a furious boy, a thankful girl with curled, blonde hair and the whispers that Phantom was back.

Whispers among the ghosts that Phantom was back and taking back his town.

Three hours of nothing but hunting and fighting and Phantom was finally feeling tired, though nowhere near as tired as he would have been when he was younger. The images kept rolling across his mind, and so he kept looking, restlessly patrolling a town he hadn't been there to protect. That he had left in the care of his friends, not knowing whether they were truly up to the challenge or not.

'But that doesn't matter anymore,' he slammed a ghost who he didn't know to the ground, then threw him back into the air, 'They're not going to have to fight anymore, not if I have anything to say about it.'

The ghost with no name found himself shoved against a wall, and though he could phase through, it would probably be useless. This ghost kid, this Phantom was a ball of violence, and as the green eyes suddenly burned red, the ghost remembered what fear was like when it came from one's own self instead of from another.

"Tell every ghost in this town that if they're not out by tomorrow," he pulled his face even closer, practically growling out his demands, "I'll hunt them all down, and make their afterlife so miserable and painful they'll wish they were alive so they could just die and get it over with."

He released the other, unknown intruder, knowing that his message would be passed along. He would either have a massive fight on his hands, which he almost craved right then, or they would flee long before the morning.

Heaving a sigh, Danny looked around the town once more, and wondered what was going to happen. He hated not knowing, but figured that at least he had taken the edge of his frustration off and could return home to a hopefully quite and nearly empty house. It was late enough that everyone would have left, and he could go back to his room, to his bed, to his things, and be in peace for a few hours more.

Nodding his head, he raced across the sky, ready to finally get some rest after all his restless adventures.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

He landed in the kitchen, expecting maybe his parents, but definitely not Sam. He didn't know that his mom and dad had just walked into the living room to turn off the lights for the night, and he didn't know what to say as he saw Sam sadly drawing invisible doodles with a finger on his kitchen table.

The drop in air temperature was all she needed to know that he had finally come back, "You might as well quit hiding, I know you're back."

"Yeah," he stepped closer to her, though she still couldn't see him, and neither could his parents who were watching from the doorway behind him, "but maybe I don't want you to see me right now."

"Danny," she turned her head slightly, "I saw you all this week…or today, or whatever it was. Why in the world don't you want me to see you now? I'm not scared of you, if that's your problem, I got over that a few hours after I realized you weren't going to go homicidal on me."

"It's not that," he moved the chair out and slid in, coming back into view as he did so, "It's more that I got into a fight and I don't want to get lectured for it."

A couple of scratches on his forearms were showing, and a bruised cheek looked like it was starting to form on the right side of his face. Sam frowned disapprovingly, "What'd you do, go out and pick a fight?"

"Kinda'," he winced, pulling away when she grabbed at his shirt, "Sam…"

"Let me see," she frowned again as she pulled up the arm of his shirt, revealing the line of scratches continued, "I bet they're on your back too, aren't they?"

She stood and went to the kitchen cabinet where one of the many Fenton First Aide Kits were kept. She didn't notice the two in the doorway, but really, she wasn't paying much attention to anything other than bandaging the injuries Danny had probably gained.

Pulling up his shirt she noticed the deep cuts, bruises, and something that threw her off completely, 'Is that a piece of glass?'

She lightly bopped him on the back of his head for her discovery, "Geeze, Danny, don't tell me you went out and picked a fight with the whole town."

"Okay," he flinched as she pulled the glass out and handed it to him to set on the table, "I won't."

"What is wrong with you?" she started to bandage and clean whatever she could see at the moment, gently peeling his shirt off the rest of the way as she worked, "You just get back, I just get you back, and you're already trying to get yourself killed!"

"I am not!" he slammed his palm on the table, then moved around to grab Sam's wrists, "I'm just…I don't even know, Sam. I can't just come back here, not after everything I've done. What was Clockwork thinking, sending me back?"

"He was thinking that you needed to come home," she wrenched herself free, balling her fists at her side in frustration, "He was thinking that you're strong enough to do this. That I need you to be here."

"Sam…"

"He was thinking that Tucker needed you back and that Valerie did, and that your parents did," she felt a tear slipping down her face, her resolve finally breaking down after all the stress of the pass few days or hours or years. She didn't even know anymore.

"Please don't cry," he pulled her into his arms, hugging her for all he was worth, "I'm sorry, I'm not going anywhere, I promise I'm not."

"Don't think that you have to save us now Danny," Sam shook her head in the crook of his shoulder, gently wrapping her arms around him and being careful of his wounds, "Don't do stupid things because you think you should, or because you're trying to make up for everything you did."

"But I have to somehow," he held her even closer as _those _thoughts washed over him again, "I abandoned you all."

Silent seconds ticked by, Sam and Danny fighting themselves and the world and one another, trying to figure out what was happening to them. Danny felt her hand slip into his after a few moments more, and he let himself lean against her, hiding in her embrace.

"You don't have to do it all on your own," she spoke, "You never did."

"I know," he closed his eyes, then pulled back and gave a tight smile, "I know. I'm home, and with my friends, and my family, and with you. I know I don't have to do it on my own, but that doesn't mean that I don't want others to have to do it."

"Then just remember that that doesn't mean that I won't be right there helping you anyways."

"Stubborn," he gave a watery laugh, wincing as his cheek protest at the movement.

"Yeah, but so are you," she gave his hand a tug, trying to move him, "Now turn back around so I can finish cleaning you up. You still have to walk me home. Mother's orders."

"My Mom right?"

"Nope," she laughed as his jaw dropped, "That was all mine. Now turn around."

"Alright, geeze," he turned with an eye roll, "Bossy much?"

"Always was," she mused, and finished as quickly as she could, "Anywhere else that you got hurt?"

"If I tell you right here," he pointed to his lip, "would you kiss it and make it better?"

For a second he thought she was going to, as she leaned in, laying a hand on his bare chest to balance herself. Her breath brushed his lips, and as soon as she was just close enough…

"Nope."

Sam back away, smirking while Danny looked on with a pout. She put up the kit, cleaned up the mess she had made, and handed him back his shirt, "You're parents might not appreciate the view."

Caught red handed the couple moved into the kitchen, smiling in amusement as Danny blushed to the roots of his hair, and pulled on his shirt as quickly as he could, "Mooom, Dad, you could have at least said something!"

"But that takes all the fun out of getting to give you an embarrassing talk later!" Jack sidled up to his son, winking, "We'll have that little talk after you walk her home though, eh?"

"Jack," Maddie smiled gently, then moved to her son, "I'm sorry we eavesdropped, but we are parents. We have to find out what's going on with you somehow and Sam's right. You don't have to do this on your own. Whenever you're ready to talk sweetie, we'll be here. We love you, very much, and are so proud."

"My son," Jack beamed, "A ghost hunter, just like his old pop. Chip off the old block, huh, Danny boy?"

"Yeah Dad," he stepped away and grabbed Sam's hand, changing as he did so, "But we gotta' go. I'll be home in a little while."

"We won't stay up" Maddie winked, enjoying her son's blush, even if it was odd to see him looking so pale, then sternly added, "but we _will _be talking tomorrow. Now shoo."

"Don't have to tell me twice," and they were through the wall before Sam could even register what was happening.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Goodnight Sam."

"Goodnight Danny."

"Sam?"

"Hm?"

"I…I love you."

"I love you too."

And with a kiss he was gone, and Sam slept peacefully for the first time in ages. No cell phone to listen for, no wearing uncomfortable clothes to bed, and the peaceful, exhausted sleep giving her no nightmares to wake up from.

Her halfa was home, and she was able to rest.

They were all able to rest.


	11. The Very Long Epilogue

**Roanoke**  
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_A note_: This chapter will give an intimate look into the rest of the senior year for Sam, Danny, Tucker, Valerie, the Fentons, as well as the Mansons and the way the school was affected by Danny's return. It is all interwoven with bits and pieces of Sam's history report, given at the end of the school year.

Wow…This chapter took me forever to get out, but I like it! It's 27 pages long in 10 pt font in Microsoft Works!  
The ending is really mushy, but I blame that on the fact that we have the hallmark channel and it's mother's day tomorrow and thus Mom has taken control of the TV…we're having a love story marathon! Lol…

Anywho, enjoy!

And yes, yes the end does leave it open for another story, though I don't know if I'll continue it. :D

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

**Chapter Eleven: Epilogue**

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_Sam Manson  
__United States History, 5__th Period  
__May 5, 2009  
__The history of Roanoke is known only through the remnants…_

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Mom," Danny walked up to her that Saturday morning, looking unsure and not entirely awake at 4:30, "I think…it's been a few weeks, and I know I told you I'd tell you what happened…"

"Sweetie," she pulled up another chair for him to join her at the breakfast table, "You don't have to talk until you're ready. Remember what Jazz said when she came down last week? You need time to sort it out for yourself. You've been talking to Sam, and that's enough for me."

"Not enough for me," Danny took a deep breath as he sunk into the chair, finally feeling as though acceptance and forgiveness were within reach, "Sam was there…I had to tell her, and I really am glad she understood, don't get me wrong, but a lot of it came out wrong when I explained it…I really think she thought I was horrible for what I had to do…until she understood all of it."

Maddie sat silently, waiting as patiently as she could for her son to form his thoughts into sentences, "Mom, you're not going to understand all of it though…"

"I might," her voice tightened as her mind finally began to wonder what exactly he had done or been forced to do, "You have to tell me first. I'll never stop loving you though, no matter what."

"I know," he smiled tiredly, a common place feature to his face now, "There's a ghost name Clockwork who controls Time…not just time like we know, but _all _Time together…"

An hour later found Maddie sitting silent and pale, horrified that her youngest child had faced such things. He'd had to take lives, and thousands at that, and was here before her, no less whole in body but hurting emotionally and ready to crack at even the tiniest hint of disapproval or anger or fear, 'That will not happen.'

Her iron will snapped her mind to where she needed it to be. Yes, he had done terrible things, but they had to be done. History could not afford to be re-written…and somehow, vaguely, she understood, even if she had not witnessed it.

"I believe you."

Three simple words from her mouth and she found her arms full of not the fearless and tired young man who masqueraded as both boy and hero, but her child, sobbing silently for every man, woman, and child he had sentenced to death, or to eternal not-death if one wanted to look at it that way.

It only lasted a few moments as he shook his head and chuckled to himself. A watery, snuffling sound came as he drew back, mumbling apologies and other uncertainties to his mother. She simply pulled him back to her and hugged him fiercely. She couldn't do much to repair him, but she would love him, and with time, that would do the job.

She woke Jack up at eight that morning and between herself and Danny, the story was retold with less stumbling and quicker explanations. Jack understood, and Danny was relieved again. No heartfelt tears or outbursts came this time, but it wasn't needed.

His father and mother understood, and for all Danny cared in that moment everyone else could curse his name.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_The settlers landed on Roanoke Island, July 22, 1587. Later that year, Virginia Dare was the first English child born in the Americas._

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

People wondered where Danny Fenton had gone for two years, and though none asked about it, all had their own speculations. He was kidnapped, he ran away, he was stuck in the ghost zone, and in all situations Danny gave a bitter laugh. How true all three of those were, though no one would ever remotely understand it without being drawn into a tangled web of fractured reality.

More often though, people assumed that Danny had done something wrong, and had gone away because of it. The fact that he was often seen staring at children, almost wishfully, had the rumor mills working overtime that maybe he had a child somewhere with a girl that none of them knew.

Indeed, Tucker had noticed that Danny tended to watch children with an especial interest. The teen almost couldn't get enough of them, but always turned away with a heartbroken look on his face. Tucker figured it had something to do with whatever had happened to him, and tried his best to not mention it.

He didn't have to wait long to find out why Danny watched the little ones. Why he always seemed so sad when he saw a child or a baby. Five weeks after he had returned, Danny brought Sam with him to the park to meet Valerie and Tucker. The pair listened in amazement to an edited version of Danny's story.

Clockwork, the fate of the United States, missing civilizations, Pariah Dark…it was almost too much to take in. Sam simply took Tucker's hand and led him off as he numbly took it all in. When he found himself seated on a park bench with Sam still holding his hand, he shook himself and turned to her, "Did he really…?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded and played with his fingers in her own smaller grasp, "Yeah, I watched him."

"Even the children…Is that why he…?"

"Yes."

Silence reigned heavily for a few moments, "You don't hate him or anything do you?"

Sam's voice was thick with fear for Danny, and Tucker knew it. It was a ridiculous question, though, and with a frown he let her know as much. She laughed thickly, trying her best to conceal how worried she had been.

"Where's Valerie?" he finally managed to get out, having noticed she hadn't walked with them, but rather stayed with Danny.

"Danny wanted to talk to her," Sam withdrew her hand, frowning at the grass below the bench, "Alone. They had a lot to talk about, he said."

Tucker just nodded and enjoyed the peaceful moment with his best friend. He hadn't had much time alone with her since Danny's return, as the halfa guarded her jealously and spent almost all of his time with her.

'I would too though,' Tucker looked over at her, wishing he could find something to say to reassure her, 'She's his rock right now, and she was there with him…we may think we understand, but only Sam really knows what happened.'

An hour later found them still on the bench, talking about random school assignments. Valerie walked up from behind them and sat heavily on the other side of Tucker, "I…"

But nothing else came out, as Valerie could find nothing else to say. She had had a long talk with Danny, about everything that had happened, about when they were together, when they had fought, when he had hurt her, and when she had thought he had tried to kill her and it had only been her empty suit.

They talked about all the things he had done in his two absent years, and a few things he had done that not even Sam or Tucker knew about from when he had been a freshman. She would guard those secrets for him, just as Sam and Tucker had guarded his secrets.

They had talked about them, and where their relationship had gone, was at, and what it could have become. What it didn't become. He talked about Sam, and she, surprisingly, had talked about Tucker.

Danny had just smiled, and told her she better go and find them, so she did. And now, they just sat, soaking up the afternoon sun and trying to figure out life. They weren't very successful, but no one really minded so long as they were all there together.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_The mystery is as much in the disappearance of the town's people, as what was left behind…_

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Sam had talked to her parents alone, and for that she was grateful. She left out a great deal, if only to protect her parents, and added parts of the original story of Danny Phantom that hadn't been told. Things from her point of view that helped her parents understand Danny and who he was then and now.

Later that afternoon, when he had dropped by as he did everyday now, they had asked him in. Danny was shocked, and the Mansons took advantage of his state of being. Questions flowed, but they were more aimed towards what they considered his 'hero work' and what his thoughts towards their daughter were like.

Danny blushed and mumbled, trying to find a way out without being rude, when Sam happened upon the kitchen and found him nervously fidgeting in a chair. It was almost unnoticeable, unless you had truly known him before, but Danny hated to be cooped up inside now. School had become nearly unbearable for the boy, and he took at least one restroom break per period to just get outside for a few moments.

"Mom," Sam rolled her eyes as she stepped into the kitchen and past her parents, "Dad, leave him alone. Yeah, he likes me and I like him. Yay. No, we haven't had sex, yes, we've kissed, no we aren't anywhere near to thinking about the future. Yes, Danny's the good guy, let us all rejoice, and now let us all leave him alone."

With his hand firmly in Sam's, she pulled him to his feet and out the backdoor, grinning sheepishly and waving to Sam's parents behind him. As soon as they were out the door, he reached forward and pulled her back into a hug, whispering a gently, "Thank you," into her hair.

She understood, and she always had.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

…_houses were taken down, a post had 'Croatian' carved into it, iron and other objects were thrown about…_

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

There were funny things about Danny that everyone noticed now that he was back. He was a lot more assured and had definitely grown into himself. No more was he the Casper High punching bag, but he needn't of worried. No one really wanted to use him as one anymore.

Danny, everyone noticed, didn't seem to be just a teenager anymore. He was older somehow and many of the girls at school found themselves thinking of him more along the lines of 'man' than 'boy' or 'teen'.

And Danny, in all his mysterious 'newness' to the school, had a new outlook on history. He was found to be chuckling numerous times in class and often had to be sent to the principal's office because of it. He would never explain himself, just mutter something about class being funny, and accept his punishment.

He told no one what had amused him, not even Sam, but she didn't mind. She was sure she wouldn't understand anyways as she had never had the privilege to travel through time as extensively as he had.

When Danny started laughing about the Roman Empire and said in a breathless whisper something about 'crazy skirt wearing cheerleaders' Sam just shook her head.

'I don't want to know, and I don't need to know,' she glanced over at the snickering halfa, 'and for some reason I'm kinda' glad I don't have to…'

She joined in his laughter simply because it was contagious. Sam realized that she would never know everything about Danny, but that was fine. Some things were better left unshared.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_By the time Governor John White had returned with his small crew of men, the area inside the palisade had been overgrown with grass, showing that it had been abandoned for quite some time._

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

When Jazz came home for Christmas she was overjoyed and bursting with happiness that she could spend time with her baby brother. The week she had taken off from school when he had first come home had not seemed like enough time, and she was making up for it over the holiday.

In fact, Danny was beginning to think of her as, 'Energetically, and annoyingly, clingy.'

"Sorry I got you in trouble this afternoon," Danny planted a loving kiss to the top of Sam's head before pulling her back against him as they rested on his bed, "I didn't mean to…"

"It's fine," Sam tilted her head up to smile reassuringly at her halfa. He needed reassuring more now than he ever had before those two years, "Mom and Dad were just worried because I hadn't told them we'd left. Next time I'll just have to make sure to tell them, and no more randomly phasing out of the house, okay?"

"Alight," and a quick kiss to her nose was Sam's answer as she snuggled back down into his side to watch the movie on the computer screen. The warmth from the blankets under her on his bed, as well as coming from his body beside her had her drifting gently in her thoughts. The light kiss on the back of her neck pulled her right back into reality.

"I really did miss you," he nuzzled his nose against her neck, smelling her hair and enjoying her familiar scent of shampoo and soap, "I'm sorry I left you here and didn't tell you where I went. I wanted to."

"It's fine," she turned to face him, "You know that I'm just going to tell you that every time you say you're sorry until you believe it. I know what you did and why. No more being sorry, Danny."

She kissed him, moving down to his jaw and enjoying his hands in her hair, lovingly smoothing it down. They had become more familiar with one another as couples do in the time that he had been home, but as she found a kiss gently planted on her neck, followed by another and another, Sam realized they were moving forward yet again…and that it wasn't unpleasant in the least.

A sudden movement found Sam and Danny flipping over so she was laying on her back. Laying like this was new too, but for some reason Danny's weight over her was a comforting addition to their activities and the movie was long forgotten, blending into the background as noise they weren't paying attention to.

His hand eventually slid from holding her cheek, down her shoulder and arm, to grasp her right hand, pulling it back up and placing it on his neck so she could hold him as he was holding her. All these new additions were pleasant, and Sam was reluctant to stop as was Danny.

The muffled sound of footsteps walking up the stairs and down the hall went unheeded, and it was with little grace that Danny and Sam toppled to the floor at Jazz's ear splitting screech when she had opened the door and viewed the scene.

"What are you two doing?" Jazz was wide-eyed as she grasped the door's knob, then blanched at what she had just asked, "No, I don't want to know! Mom is going to kill you Danny!"

"Get out!" his head popped up from the other side of his bed where he and Sam had unceremoniously landed. Jazz had startled him badly enough that his powers had him and Sam in the air, then falling onto the ground before he could do anything to stop it, "God, Jazz, don't you ever knock?"

"I didn't think that you would be all over Sam," she retorted hotly, "so I didn't exactly think I needed to warn you that I was coming in."

'Well obviously she thought wrong,' Sam blushed to herself as Danny helped her to her feet, then moved quickly over to Jazz and backed her out the door. Sam sat nervously on the edge of the bed, picking at a loose thread on some old quilt while Danny and Jazz bickered.

"Can you just leave now, and not ever do that again?" Danny was gently guiding his sister out the door, "Seriously Jazz, out."

"I was just coming up to see," she caught herself in the door frame, refusing to budge another inch, "if you two wanted to go out to dinner tonight. Mom told me to come up and ask you."

"And you didn't knock because?" he glared down at her angrily, still bright red from embarrassment.

"Because I heard somebody moaning, okay?" Jazz bit out, blushing as she said it.

It took less than a second for the blood to drain from Danny's face and he slammed one hand against the door beside him and made the entire wall disappear, causing Jazz to nearly fall on her butt in the hallway when she had nothing to hold onto. The wall came back into place and the door slammed shut with Jazz trying her best to fight down her blush and keep from laughing.

On the other side of the door, Danny sat on the opposite side of his bed, not daring to look at Sam. He couldn't tell for sure, but her shoulders seemed to have been shaking when he had walked back to sit down. If he had made her cry…

"Danny," the laughter bubbling out of her voice hit him like a ton of bricks, "That was the funniest…oh God…Jazz saw us…"

Biting his lip to keep from laughing he turned around to see her laying on her back, staring at the ceiling and laughing for all she was worth. He turned and lay on his side between her and the computer screen, blocking the movie from her view, "That was funny, huh?"

"Oh, no," she tried to hold her serious expression, but it only lasted a few moments before her quite laughter escaped again, "Yes…"

"Yeah," the halfa rolled his eyes, "not to mention embarrassing…"

"So?" and Sam pulled his face down to kiss him again, his own hand coming to rest against her chin to tip it further up, angling it just right so he could…

"Sam? Danny?" Tucker's voice sounded horrified, and as the door slammed shut, Danny and Sam froze where they were, lips still touching as they listened to the boy stomping back down the stairs, "That is the last time I ever trust you Jazz Fenton! I am never going to walk into that room without knocking again!"

They both cracked up, and came down to the living room as soon as they stopped laughing. The rest of the night was spent with family, good friends, good food, permanent blushing, and lots of teasing. In all, it was a rather pleasant evening, even with Jazz being her overbearing sister of a self.

Danny wouldn't have traded it for the world.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_The Governor believed that his daughter and granddaughter, along with the rest of his people, had found refuge with the Croatians, the local Native Americans. He was, in his own words, 'cheered' at the thought._

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Danny?" Jazz had once again invited herself into his room, though this time she gently eased the door open, giving him enough time to do…whatever it would be he needed to, "You decent."

"I would hope so," Sam's voice answered her from somewhere near the closet, "Although if he doesn't let me out soon, there won't be enough left to be decent…"

"Danny," his sister chastised teasingly, "What have we told you about kidnapping Sam and locking her in your closet?"

"Um," the boy was slightly distracted by the computer game in front of him, "Don't do it?"

"Daniel James Fenton!"

Aforementioned boy just grinned like a fool as Sam kicked the closet door violently, "Yes?"

"Let me out, I've been in here for nearly six minutes now," her voice had dropped threateningly, then returned to it's usual pitch, "Jazz, can you please let me out of here?"

"Sure thing," she started on her way to the door, only to find herself blocked by Danny, who was holding a pillow in front of him as though brandishing a sword, "Or, maybe not…"

"Why?" Sam sounded incensed, "Geeze, the Fenton siblings are both against me now!"

"Engarde!"

"Jazz?" Sam was mentally rolling her eyes now.

"Take that!"

"Danny?" Annoyance was clear in the locked up girl's tone.

"Touche!"

"If one of you two doesn't let me out of here this instant, I swear on whatever you hold dear or holy that I will skin you alive!" the closet door gave a rattle as Sam pounded against it, "Now!"

"Okay! Okay!" Danny rushed to do as he was bid, "But that's what you get for thinking you could win at video games by trying to distract me."

"Distracting, huh?" Jazz crossed her arms, pillow still firmly in her grasp, "That's why I always ask if you're decent you know."

Danny blushed, as did the girl behind him, but he held his ground, "Yeah well, it wasn't quite like that…though…"

"Danny," Sam's boot found the back of his leg. He was weary of that tone of voice…and even more so of the boots that had just accosted him.

"Just kidding you two," Jazz rolled her eyes, "Mom just wanted to know if you were both staying for dinner, or going out, or if you were going home, Sam."

"Staying," Danny chirped happily, not even giving Sam a chance to voice anything. Jazz watched a small frown pass over Sam's lips before Danny turned around and the look was wiped away, "You staying?"

"Yeah," she grinned tightly, and even if Danny noticed he said nothing, "I guess we should head down, huh?"

"Probably," Jazz risked a glance between the pair, then decided she needed some 'girl time' with Sam, if only a minute, "Hey Danny, we'll meet you down there…I have some…girl stuff to ask Sam about."

"I'm outta' here," he reacted quickly, heading out the door and supposedly down the stairs. Curiosity got the better of him, as usually, and he quickly phased himself back into his room, invisible and sneaky as ever.

"So what's up, you never need to ask me about girl stuff," the younger girl folded her arms and turned to sit on Danny's computer chair, "Anything wrong?"

"Not with me," Jazz followed her lead and sat on Danny's bed, the boy floating close beside her though she didn't know, "I'm just a little worried about Danny."

"Who isn't?" Sam sighed, "He's different…but he's still Danny."

"And he's still as clueless and thick headed as ever," Jazz cut in, "The truth is, I'm worried about you, too. You looked a little upset that Danny wanted to stay here for dinner…"

"It isn't that," Sam blushed slightly, embarrassed with her explanation would sound, 'It will sound as shallow as Paulina…Jazz isn't one to judge though…'

"What is it then?" the older girl prodded gently, "Are you jealous of him spending time with his family, or worried that your relationship is staying at 'friends' with a few, uh, benefits thrown in?"

"No, nothing like that exactly," a tiny blush passed over her face, then she ran a hand through her hair and turned from Jazz, "It's just…there's two things. One of them is he never wants to go out. I know that sounds horrible."

Jazz chewed on her lower lip as Sam buried her face in her hands, embarrassed by her seemingly petty comment, "It isn't bad to want that, Sam. It's natural to want to spend time at different places when you're with your boyfriend. Everyone wants to have variety in their life."

"I know, but I also know that Danny doesn't want to at all," Sam turned the chair and started to play with a pencil on the desk, "He likes being home, it's like a security blanket for him…and that makes him sound like he's three."

"I understand what you're saying though. I won't put it in technical terms, 'cause I know you don't like that," Jazz grinned wryly as Sam smirked her way, "but Danny is finding himself again. He's also staying in his comfort zone, and I think that every now and again he's going to need a push. He's going to need that blanket taken away from him."

"I don't want to pressure him."

"Sometimes," she smiled at Sam, "you're going to have to do it. You're going to have to help him find himself."

"Maybe," Sam smiled tightly, "I'll try, but he's probably not going to like it."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well," she shifted and smoothed her skirt, "I asked Danny about going and trying that new fast food joint, the Boom, or whatever. He just clammed up and kinda' demanded we go to the Nasty Burger instead. He wasn't mean or anything, but…"

"But you don't want to try that again?"

Sam just nodded. She wasn't usually an emotional person, but this was starting to touch on some deep seated issues, or so Jazz noticed. Danny was still Danny, but he had changed, and Sam was still dealing with that fact.

"What was the second thing?"

"Hm? The second thing?" Sam frowned, "Oh, right…well, I mean, it's kinda' stupid."

Jazz ignored Sam waving off the question, "It's not stupid, and you should probably get it off your chest."

"Well," Sam nervously smoothed her skirt again, "He's kinda' possessive sometimes. I don't mind it usually, but sometimes…like just now, I'd like to have the chance to answer for myself. I'm a big girl, independent, and I can answer for myself. I just don't want to say anything because I don't want him to be upset. I know that's stupid…"

"It isn't stupid," Jazz soothed, "It's a legitimate thought. I think you should just sit down and talk with him about it. Like you said, Sam, he's still Danny."

"He's just trying to figure himself out again," Sam shook her head and chuckled quietly, "I know. I'll try the next time, okay?"

"Alright," Jazz nodded, then offered her a hand and pulled her into a hug, "You really have been good for him…more than you know. Now, let's get down there so we can eat, okay?"

"Alright, let's go," she detached herself from the older girl, then put her hands on her hips, "but don't think that just because you hugged me this time, it's an open invitation for personal contact anytime you want."

"You got it," Jazz winked as she made her way to the door. Both were shocked to see Danny standing sheepishly in the hallway when they opened it.

"Hey, um," the halfa averted his gaze as the two girls continued to look at him questioningly, "I guess, um, are you two ready to eat?"

"Yep, we were just on our way down," Jazz smiled and moved past her brother. She knew that guilty look when she saw it, "I'll meet you down there."

"Sam," Danny blocked her path as she started to move downstairs, "I'm an eavesdropper…sometimes. Not all the time or anything, but um…I'm sorry."

He watched her as she thought over what he had said and what it meant. He had heard the entire conversation, knew what Sam had been feeling, and robbed her of the chance to bring it up in her own time. He felt horrible and hoped that Sam wouldn't be too upset with him.

With crossed arms and lowered eyes, Sam mulled over what he had heard and what had been said between herself and Jazz. It wasn't anything she wouldn't talk with him about eventually, and it probably was better that it happened now, rather than it turning into something they would fight about.

"It's…fine," she finally looked up at him, moving closer and pulling him into a hug, "I didn't know how to say it anyways, so I'm glad you heard it. At least now you know…"

"I didn't mean to do all that, make you feel that way," he returned her hug, folding himself around her, "You're not scared of me or anything are you? Is that why you never said anything?"

"No, Danny," Sam gently pulled back from him, "I just didn't want to say anything because I knew that you're still getting use to being back. It's hard, and I know because I can see it. Yeah, you're still Danny Fenton, but you've changed, and it's going to take a while to get used to everything. I'm not afraid of you or of change."

Her resolve strengthened him somehow, knowing that she was there to support him even if it was at some cost to herself.

"Have I ever told you," he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "how much you mean to me? You're my sanity, Sam."

A gentle smile broke across Sam's face as she met Danny's eyes, "Then I guess you'll have to keep me."

"Definitely."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_There were approximately one hundred and seventeen colonists, one hundred and fifteen of which were adults._

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Oh Danny, you got home just in time," his mother met him at the door and took his backpack from him, "Come into the living room and meet Mrs. Joneston. She and her husband just moved in next door."

"Um, okay," Danny nervously ran a hand through his hair, pushing down the unruly strands that always had a mind of their own.

"This is my son, Danny," Maddie led him to the couch where Jazz was sitting by a young woman, cooing happily at the baby in her arms, "Danny, this is Elizabeth."

"Nice to meet you," he nodded as he kept behind his mother, well away from the young woman and child in her arms, "Elizabeth is a pretty name, it's my…friend Sam's middle name."

"Well thank you," the young woman smile, "but really, just call me Beth. That's what I like to go by. Oh, and this is little Sarah. She's only a four months old, but already a handful."

Maddie shared a secretive laugh with the young mother as she sat back on the couch beside her and Jazz. Danny stood uncomfortably by the coffee table, keeping himself at a distance. Jazz shook her head and stood to pull her brother to sit in her place, right beside Beth and little Sarah.

"Here, you sit and coo at the baby for a while, I'm going to get us some lemonade."

"Make sure it's not glowing first," Danny joked, keeping his eyes firmly off the baby.

"Will do, baby bro."

"So, Danny," Beth pulled his attention to her, but still he kept his gaze from falling on the baby only inches from him, "This is your senior year in high school isn't it?"

"Yeah," he smiled sheepishly and nodded, "but don't ask me about college or anything. I honestly don't have a clue about what I'm going to do yet."

"Well, you still have plenty of time to figure it out," Maddie ran a hand lovingly over his back, "I really think you should take a year off from school, though I do want you to go eventually."

Beth shook her head in thoughtful agreement, "My husband, Will, did that. He said it really helped him to figure out where he wanted to go in life. Personally, I had to go straight to college, or I would never have been able to convince myself to go back to school."

A burble from Beth's lap had Danny looking down before he could prevent it, and he was caught by dark brown eyes and soft black curls. The baby looked gently on the blue eyed boy, as if frozen in place. The same was true for Danny, and for a second Maddie was afraid he'd bolt.

Maddie knew well how Danny had reacted to children and babies over the past months that he'd been home. Wary, cautious, almost afraid, 'Are you afraid of what you did, Danny, or what you know you can do?'

The question had bothered her to no end as she had watched her son shy away from children.

"Danny?" Sam's voice broke the moment and Danny jerked away so violently he nearly fell off the couch.

"Ah," a twinkle played in Beth's eyes, "Is this the friend, Sam with the beautiful middle name?"

"Um, yeah," he made to get up, but a hand from his mother stopped him.

"We're in here Sam," Maddie answered, hoping that Sam could be of some help with the situation that she wasn't quite sure what she wanted to happen.

"Oh goodie," Tucker's voice was heard right before the two heads peeked around the door, "Got anything to eat Mrs. Fenton?"

"There are some cookies and fudge hidden behind the emergency ham," she smiled warmly, "And while you're in there, help Jazz get the lemonade please Tucker?"

"Gotcha' Mrs. Fenton," and Tucker was on his way to food. Sam smiled and shook her head before heading for the couch to stand by the arm nearest Danny.

"You took off after school, so me and Tuck decided to see if you made it home," she looked between him and the young woman, and raised an eyebrow, "We didn't know you had company or we wouldn't of barged in."

"Oh um, it's Mom's company," then he blushed slightly as both Maddie and Beth laughed, "Er, Sam this is Beth…"

"Joneston," she supplied.

"Beth Joneston," he smiled his thanks, "Mrs. Joneston, this is Sam Manson and the other boy who was so hungry that he couldn't stay and talk was Tucker Foley. They've been my best friends for years."

"Ah, nice to meet you," Beth shifted Sarah to stand and offer her hand to Sam, "This is Sarah, four months old if you were curious."

"She's…cute," Sam offered hesitantly, then smacked a laughing Danny on the back of his head at her chosen word, "Get over it, yay, I said 'cute'…"

"Well it's just _cute_ because you never say _cute_ because it's just _too cute_," Danny laughed and stood too to save his head some abuse. Being tall definitely had some advantages.

"Sam, would you like to hold Sarah?"

The question had Sam unfolding her arms and Danny sinking back onto the couch. A quick glance to Mrs. Fenton for guidance had Sam nodding and biting her lip, unsure of what to do.

"Okay, well you just sit yourself down by Danny and then I'll hand her to you," and as Sam arranged herself Danny started to scoot away, but she caught his hand and firmly demanded he stay where he was with her strong grip and pleading eyes. This wasn't exactly her cup of tea, and when they had been younger, it would have been Danny who would hold a baby long before she could be convinced to.

"If she starts to cry, don't worry," the young mother gently laid the baby girl in Sam's arms, "It's something that babies do all the time. She probably won't though, as she usually is so well behaved."

Just as the bundle was laid in Sam's arms, with a catious and curious Danny peeking over her shoulder, Tucker and Jazz walked back in. A smile played over Jazz as she saw Danny finally getting over his fears. Tucker, on the other hand grinned from ear to ear as a teasing opportunity made itself known.

"Whoo, I knew you two were close, but man, when did that happen?"

"Shut up, Tuck," both their faces burned red as they leveled glares at the unfortunate boy, Danny even adding in a flash of red in his normally placid, blue eyes.

"Right," his attitude took an about face under the combined wrathful glares of his friends, "Cookies anyone?"

"Such a good housewife you'd make Tuck," Sam ground out, trying to keep her blush from reaching new levels as Danny gently rested his chin on her shoulder for a closer look at the small being in her hold, not to mention the laughing eyes of Mrs. Fenton that she just knew were burning a hole in the back of their heads.

Tucker and Jazz made themselves comfortable and passed out glasses and food, as Beth and Maddie chatted away like old friends. Sam found herself focusing solely on the little girl in her arms and the young man resting against her back. Jazz smiled her way, then took Tucker's attention off their pair by asking a question about the latest upgrades she should get for her computer.

"Danny," she turned her head gently, a conversation about pushing him out of his comfort zone replaying in her head a week after the fact, "Touch her. She's very…soft."

"I can't Sam," he breathed against her shoulder, even as his hand betrayed him and appeared around Sam's side, edging closer to the baby before settling on her waist, "I've done such…I've been horrible."

"But you never did anything to Sarah," she shifted the baby so that bright brown eyes caught blue once again, "She isn't going to bite you…that's my job if you do something mean."

"I…"

"Danny," Sam leaned the side of her head against his, "I was joking, it'll be fine."

Ever so slowly Danny raised his hand, fine tremors running from fingertips and through his body. A single finger lowered to touch the baby's hand hesitantly, and when the child gripped his finger and bubbled out a happy laugh, it took all the strength in Sam's legs to brace herself, the baby, and Danny. He had once again jerked so violently that Sam felt sure they would tumble from the couch.

The movement did not go unnoticed as Maddie and Beth both were jostled, and turned with inquiring expressions to find Sam hunched over braced by her legs, Sarah happily laughing and waving a tiny hand with Danny's finger in her surprisingly strong grip, and Danny's front molded to Sam's back, his face buried in her shoulder.

"It's fine Danny," Sam was whispering as he tried to burrow further into her shoulder, "She's happy, you made her laugh. It's all okay…"

"Danny," Maddie had moved quickly, as had Jazz, hovering over him, not sure if she should touch him or not, "Look at her sweetheart, look how beautiful and happy she is."

"She isn't afraid at all, Danny," Jazz added, soothing him with words if not touch, "She's touching you because she wants to."

He nodded his head, still breathing heavily as the sound of Sarah's laughter washed over him, her tiny hand playing with his own, much larger finger.

"Is everything okay?" Beth's worried voice broke them all out of the moment, and many hurried reassurances were given. Maddie pulled her over to the side and gave her an extremely edited version of Danny's two year absence and how something horrible had happened and effected him greatly where children were concerned. Beth nodded, lost in her own thoughts, then looked back at the pair on the couch. Danny was hesitantly peeking over Sam's shoulder, touching her child with the lightest, gentlest of touches she'd ever seen.

"He's afraid," she realized, watching as Maddie sadly nodded, "I can't imagine what happened to him…"

"I can't either," Maddie admitted, then realized how closely the young mother was watching her child, "Let me go get Sarah for you, I'm sure you're uncomfortable with…"

"Oh no," she laid a hand on the older woman's arm, "Let them be. They aren't hurting her and Sarah is happy. Babies often see things for what they really are, and if she isn't afraid of Danny, then there's no reason for me to worry, is there?"

"No," Maddie smiled, "He's a wonderful boy. He loves children, and I think this is just what he needed. I'm sorry we startled you, but you see, we had no idea that he would react like that…"

"Danny," Sam's voice drifted over to them as they turned to watch the couple of the couch once again, "She likes you rubbing her hand like that. You're putting her to sleep."

"I am?"

"I think she likes you," Sam turned so that she was no longer supporting him, facing him fully with an armful of baby, "See? She smiles at you…"

"Yeah," a happy light sparked in his eye, and Maddie felt her heart leap, "Yeah…she's really pretty."

His hand, not trembling in the slightest, reached out and gently smoothed over her curls, and the baby reached up to catch his thumb and bring it to her mouth. He looked confused for a moment before he laughed, Sam joining in with a quite chuckle. Tucker let out a happy sigh…little Sarah was healing his friend's broken heart.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_There are several theories behind the disappearance of the colony and it's people…_

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Beth was a frequent visitor with Sarah at her side, and two months found the baby happily playing with Danny on the living room floor. He treated her like porcelain, always slow and careful in his movements with the tiny child.

Maddie and Beth would talk on the couch while their children played on the floor, both laughing at the other and exchanging the curious gentle touches that are often inspired by a baby. Beth made it a conscious effort to bring Sarah for Danny to be around, realizing that her child was somehow healing the young man.

A shriek from her child had Beth rushing from the kitchen where she'd been sharing a cup of tea with Maddie, the other woman right behind her. Sam had been in the other room with Danny, sharing in his afternoon playtime.

Shouts were heard and an angry yell from Danny demanding that something, "Get the hell out of here and just leave us alone!"

Beth rounded the corner to find Sam cradling Sarah on the couch, shushing her gently and…Danny standing angrily over one of the many resident ghosts that she had come to know in her few months of residence. He was different somehow though, and it took a second for Beth to realize that his hair was white and his clothes were not his normal t-shirt and jeans. The young man was positively bristling with angry energy, green snapping out from him and around the room. The ghost cowered on the floor in front of him, saying he'd go straight back, never come back again, leave his haunt alone.

Sam shook her head as she saw Beth and Maddie enter, sighing and rolling her eyes as she stood and walked calmly back to Beth. The young mother shakily took her child, calming her almost instantly, and stood watching as Danny seemingly pulled a…a…

"Is that a scythe?" the blood had drained from her face, "Where did it come from?"

"Yes," Sam replied pulling what appeared to be a thermos out of her backpack, "that's a scythe. He pulled it from God knows where…I've never been able to figure that one out. He's being a bit dramatic, but when the stupid Box Ghost tried to grab Sarah, he got a little…um, irritated."

Sam walked over to Danny, who looked about ready to kill, and laid a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back gently and placing herself between him and the offending ghost, "C'mon, you stupid ghost, get in the thermos before he skins you."

"Beware," the ghost whispered in awe of the raging boy in front of him, before scooting himself into the thermos, not daring to complain.

"Really, Danny," Sam whirled on him, "that wasn't necessary was it? He wouldn't have hurt her, you know that."

"He…that ghost," the halfa raged, the startling blood red in his eyes fading to a sickly yellow before finally melting into a neon green color, "He…"

Danny was so angry he could hardly form a sentence, the weapon in his hand winking back out of existence as strangely as it had appeared. Sam folded her arms, crossly tapping her foot as he spent his full rage in her direction. She bore it semi-patiently, radiating her annoyance.

"It's fine," she started when he had finally stopped, only for his eyes to flash brighter as he marched towards her, an accusing finger aimed in her direction.

"It's not fine, and I'm sick of you saying that!" he stopped a hair's breadth from her, staring down at her even as she strained her neck to look up into his eyes. The glare between the two was heated, but neither was going to back down.

"Well, if you're so sick of it, then I'll stop," Sam ground out, unfolding her arms to ball her fists at her sides, "but you have no right to get angry at me, when I haven't done anything! Sarah's fine! She's not hurt, Danny…"

"She could have been," his anger was starting to deflate, but his attention was still focused on the young woman in front of him, "It would be so easy for a ghost…it was so easy to rip open a hole and throw them all to Pariah Dark! It would be so easy to hurt a person…a baby, even you Sam."

"I'm not afraid of you Danny Fenton. Fenton or Phantom, I've never truly been afraid of you," she slipped a hand up the side of his arm to rest against his cheek, "Now calm down…you've got an audience…"

"I'm sorry," he breathed out as twin blue rings appeared around his waist and traveled the length of his body, "I just…he tried to take her, and it was like looking at myself, watching as I condemned them…"

"Danny," Sam wrapped her arms around him as he sagged into her, holding her more tightly than he ever had before, "No one's blaming you. Sarah's fine, Beth saw that you weren't trying to hurt her. You were protecting us."

"What is going on?" Beth broke in, not able to stand it anymore, "That was that ghost…the box one. He's on the news all the time…and you…you're…"

"Danny Phantom," he answered calmly as he turned to her, "Danny Fenton too, but I guess you figured that one out…I'm uh, I gotta' go…"

"Danny," Sam tried to catch him but he disappeared from view before she got a chance, and she childishly stamped her foot, "Oh he is so dead meat when he comes back."

"So he's," Beth was shaken and Maddie gently guided her to sit on the couch, Sarah clinging to her shirt, not sure of the situation and aware that her mother was troubled, "Danny is…"

"Danny was in an accident our freshman year," Sam cut in, annoyed that he'd left her to explain, "He was electrocuted and somehow was turned into what the ghosts call a 'halfa'. He's half ghost, but still half human. He's been fighting the ghosts and protecting this town ever since. Tucker and I were there when it happened, Jazz found out a few months later, and then two and a half years ago he disappeared. He was forced into the service of an evil ghost and had to do horrible things."

"Those two years," Beth turned to Maddie, "You said you didn't really know what happened."

"I don't know," she admitted, "He's never told me everything. It's…he tries to deal with what happened by himself and he thinks it's his punishment for what he did…"

"I accidentally found him, and he managed to escape with me," Sam sat heavily beside Beth, relieved that she was taking it so well, "I saw what he did, and it was…bad, but he didn't have a choice. Danny is so gentle…"

Sam's voice broke at that, the few moments before flying through her mind. He had never spoken to her so harshly, never been so intimidating. Maddie immediately wrapped her in a hug, and Beth sat silently absorbing what had happened.

Danny had been furious that something had tried to harm Sarah. He'd been protecting her and Sam both, no matter how scary he had looked while doing it. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but fear towards the boy was quickly ebbing in the face of all the things revealed about him. His life being a little more clear, Beth had a new respect for the Fenton family and all they had faced. She left when Sam did, wrapping the girl in a quick hug, and whispering into her hair that everything would be fine. She fought with her husband, Will, but they always made up.

Things would be fine.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

…_from the main theory of the people dispersing and being absorbed into the local Croatian or Hatteras, or even an Algonquian people…_

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Sam watched from the corner of her eye as Danny quietly closed his locker and shouldered his backpack, pulling the straps tight so it rested snuggly against his back. He hadn't really spoken to her all week, and she hadn't dared go to his house. She knew he wasn't upset with her, but something didn't feel right between them. Sam wasn't sure what to do.

His hand swiped through his hair, trying to push his messy bangs from his eyes, but failed as he always did. His unruly hair simply wouldn't be tamed, and Sam wished she could brush it back from his eyes. She shook her head harshly, trying to banish such a girly, wistful thought, but couldn't help admitting to herself how much she missed Danny's company.

Sam turned back to her locker, listening with half an ear to Tucker as he talked about the latest virus and how she'd have to check her computer and make sure it hadn't sneaked past her blocks and walls. It was mostly gibberish to her, but she didn't mind. Tucker was a comfort to her right then.

Grabbing the last of her books, she smiled at her friend as he held her books, waiting patiently for her to close her locker and load her backpack. She did so as quickly as she could, feeling bad that Tucker was being so attentive and she wasn't really paying attention to him.

"You okay, Sam?" he had asked her at least a thousand times that week, "I know, but it's a standard question…maybe you should just talk to him."

"I really don't think I should," Sam shook her head and readied herself for the rush of the hallway and after school activities.

"Hey Tuck," Danny's voice froze Sam in her tracks, "Um…hey Sam."

That shy tone brought her head around even though she told herself not to look at him. He'd been ignoring her, she should be upset and refuse to acknowledge him, 'Stupid body with a traitorous mind of it's own!'

"Hey Danny," Tucker smiled at him, unsure of what was going on. Danny hadn't talked to them in a week and Sam refused to say what was going on, "What's up?"

"Um, honestly," a hand shot to the back of his neck, rubbing in the same nervous habit that both his best friends recognized, "I wanted to um, ask Sam…"

He caught her eye and stuttered for a second, "Um, ask you, if you wanted to go out and catch a movie with me tomorrow night and eat at that new place you wanted to try…um, the Boom or whatever. If not, that's cool, I mean I haven't been the friendliest of people lately and I've been kinda' a jerk after I yelled and everything."

"I can't tomorrow," Sam fought to keep the grin off her face, then gave up all pretenses of trying to be cute as his face fell, "but only because I promised Mom and Dad I'd eat at home tomorrow night. I'd love to tonight, if that's alright?"

"That's fine," Danny nodded, still looking a little flabbergasted at his good luck that she had agreed, "I mean, it's totally up to you."

"Wow, Danny finally works up the nerve to ask you out and you both act like nervous little middle schoolers," Tucker shook his head in mock horror, "I saw you two sucking face a few weeks ago, for crying out loud."

"Shut it Tuck," Sam shot back, grabbing one last book from him, "Wanna' go eat now?"

"I'd love to," Danny pulled the book from her hand and held it in his left, offering his right hand to her, "Shall we?"

"What about me?" Tucker watched as the pair walked away hand in hand.

"Go as Val," Danny winked at him before he turned a corner, Sam laughing at his side.

The meal was delicious as they offered several vegetarian friendly meals for Sam and rightfully boasted the best burgers that Amity Park had ever tasted. The pair couldn't have been more satisfied, and Danny caught her for a sweet kiss as they left the restaurant, "Thank you."

"For what?" she turned to him, a curious smile playing in her eyes.

"For saying yes," he pulled her closer to him and walked along towards the movie theater, "I was kinda' worried that you would be mad at me."

"Well, I wasn't mad at you until I realized that you weren't talking to me," Sam chided gently, playfully bumping her hip against his, "Then I started to feel unwanted."

"No," Danny stopped them and looked down at her with a hard, meaningful gaze, "You're definitely not unwanted. You're very wanted…"

He dipped down for another kiss and Sam had to remind herself to breath. He'd never kissed her so openly in public before, and a few cat calls from classmates that happened to be in the area had Sam blushing and gently pushing him away. They shared a laugh and continued on their way, talking about their week and what had happened.

Danny tried to apologize, but Sam wouldn't let him. The movie played and they only halfway watched the plot unravel, not really interested in the story. They were more focused on the person beside them.

"Did you like it?" Danny asked as they walked along the brick wall of the theater, "It wasn't my type of movie, but it was okay."

"It was alright, but it wasn't really my sort of movie either," Sam shrugged, then pulled Danny towards the park, "Why did you run away? Beth was really confused and I don't think I explained it all that well."

"I just," he shook his head and dragged them both down to lie on a hill and stargaze while they spoke, "I wanted out. I hate feeling trapped, and I did. I just wanted to cool off. I was mad at the box ghost, mad at myself for letting him get so close, mad at you for trying to calm me down…and I didn't like yelling at you."

"I didn't like yelling at you either, but it seemed to help you," Sam let her eyes lazily trace shapes in the stars, "You have to let it out sometimes, Danny, or it will kill you."

"I know," he whispered to the night in general, "I was scared."

"I wasn't," Sam turned and tugged on a wisp of his hair, "You've never let anything happen to me before, and it was just the Box Ghost. He didn't stand a chance…and Sarah was fine."

"Is Beth angry?" he turned away, only to find his head jerked back by his hair again, "Ow."

"Sorry, but you keep looking away," Sam frowned, "She wasn't angry, just a little shocked and confused. It would probably help if you talked to her, but she probably isn't angry at you."

"Oh."

They lie in silence for a while, enjoying the evening air and the stars. Eventually Danny noticed the dew starting to form on the grass beside him and gave a slight shiver at the coolness around them. He huddled closer to Sam and drew her up against him, sharing his warmth. Sam turned into him, glad that they were finally talking again.

"You know this was a date, right?" Danny chuckled as soon as he had said it, hoping that the dark would hide his blush.

"I know," Sam smiled and leaned up to give him a kiss, "and it was a wonderful date. Thank you."

"My pleasure," Danny rubbed his nose against hers, making Sam laugh and try to wriggle away from him. He caught her easily and slid into being Phantom, pulling her up into the air to lay on his chest as he hovered over Amity. Floating above the city, Sam found herself feeling as though she were in a dream.

Eventually, Sam found herself right outside her own window, and Danny had her upright and inside in seconds. She barely had time to register the sweet good night kiss before Danny brush a few stray strands of hair from her face and leaned to whisper in her ear.

"You know what Sam?"

"What Danny?" she whispered back, willing to play whatever game he wanted, "Is it a secret?"

"Not really," he shook his head and brought both hands to hold her face, placing another gentle kiss on her lips, "I love you."

"Oh," Sam pulled back slightly from him, a shy smile growing on her face as a grin split her halfa's, "I love you too."

"See?" Danny smiled as he leaned in for another kiss, already halfway through her wall to leave, "Not a secret at all."

"No, it isn't," she smiled, watching him fly away through her window, "Thank God it isn't."

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

…_to American anthropologist Lee Miller's belief that the colony was sabotaged by Francis Walsinham…_

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Maddie, it's Beth!" the young woman eased the door open, ready for another visit with the older woman who was quickly becoming a fast friend, "I know I haven't dropped by in a while and if you're busy…"

"She's not here," Danny's voice startled her slightly, and the tiny jostle of her turning around had Sarah awake and fussing her discomfort, "Sorry…I didn't mean to scare you or anything."

"No, it's fine Danny," she watched the boy shy away, and realized she hadn't seen him since the incident with the ghost a week ago, "I just wasn't expecting you to be behind me."

"I just got back from…uh, well a ghost was up to something and…," he sighed heavily, shaking his head. He looked awfully adorable in that moment Beth decided, "Anyways, Mom and Dad are out of town visiting my Mom's side of the family. They got a call last night and packed up this morning. They'll be back in a couple of days I'm sure."

"Oh," she moved so he could get inside his home, watching as he eased himself by her, not making any fast movements or anything that might be considered threatening, "Is everything alright?"

"Probably. I have no idea why they went, but they weren't worried about anything," Danny smiled, nodding towards the kitchen, "Do you want something to drink?"

"That would be nice," Beth stepped forward and followed him to the kitchen, "How was school today?"

"Oh, um, good I guess," he pulled down a couple of glasses, "What do you want to drink? We have some more lemonade somewhere…"

"Water's fine for now actually," Beth smiled and watched the young man move around the kitchen, getting ice and filling the glasses. He was tall and lithe, and now that she knew who he was she understood how he was so graceful. She'd asked Maddie if he was in sports, and when she'd answered that her son was far too clumsy for sports, Beth was puzzled. He had a very different grace, that seemed more practiced than natural. Being a fighter, she figured, probably had forced that grace on him.

Sarah gurgled happily when Danny finally passed her line of sight, and he cut a look to Beth before placing the glasses on the table and bending down to run a finger over Sarah's nose. The young man played for a while, then sat at the table, taking a light sip of water and keeping his gaze on the tabletop.

"Danny," Beth laid a hand on his arm, "Thank you for what you did last week. You protected Sarah, and that means the world to me."

"You're welcome," Danny met her eyes, far more fearful of her judgment than she was of him, "I'm sorry that you just found out like that…and for just leaving. Sam was mad at me for that one. You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"I told my husband," she answered honestly, and caught his eyes as he looked nervously away, "but I haven't breathed a word to anyone else. I'm not going to betray you…you saved my little Sarah, and I don't think I'll ever be able to say thank you enough for that."

"You really don't have to thank me," he shook his head and took another sip, "Look, Mrs. Joneston…"

"Beth, please," she stated sternly, "I've never minded you calling me Beth, so don't change that now."

"Right, um, Beth," he started nervously tapping on the table, "I did some…really awful things while I was gone for those two years. The whole story is a bit long, but basically I would drag whole cities into the ghost zone…the dimension where the ghosts live and come from. It was men, women, and children, and when they got there…they were there for eternity until their master was gone."

"So they're still there?" Beth asked sadly.

"No, Pariah Dark was defeated twice," Danny frowned, "Once by the ancient ghosts, which set all his slaves that I helped gather free. The second time he pulled Amity into the ghost zone. I bet him that time."

"Maddie told me the story, or at least what she knew," Beth nodded, "Sam filled in a lot of the blanks. You've done some amazing things for this city."

"It's just what's right," Danny shrugged, as if the weight of his responsibility wasn't as pressing as Beth figured it truly was, "I can't stand for people to be hurt…especially after what I had to do."

"I know," Beth smiled, then pulled Sarah from her carrier, "Now, this little one has missed you, so you better kiss and make up."

The smile that split Danny's face was forever etched in Beth's memory. She was so thankful that she had met such an amazing young man, and even more thankful that he was watching over her family. Beth saw both the child and the man in the boy before her, and couldn't help but smile as he played with her child. Living in Amity Park promised to be an amazing experience, made even more so by one Danny Fenton, the protector of the town and normal, next door neighbor all wrapped into one.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_Out of all the theories, the one most speculated upon and ridiculed is the theory of alien involvement, with numerous believers that it's location near the famed Bermuda Triangle had a disastrous consequence for it's people…_

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

'Man I haven't been by here in a long time,' Valerie found herself looking up at the glowing Fenton Work's sign from the sidewalk, debating on whether or not she should head home or knock on the halfa's door, 'I probably shouldn't bother them…'

"Hey Val!"

She turned to find Tucker and Sam walking up to her, warmly wrapped in coats, scarves, gloves, and hats to keep out the cold air from the sudden cold snap they were experiencing. Tucker was grinning as he quickened his pace and met her before Sam could, "What're you doing out here in the cold?"

"I was debating on whether or not I should bother them," Valerie admitted, looking back towards the house, "I haven't really talked to Danny since that time in the park, and when the three of us get to hang out, Danny always seems to be busy."

"Hero stuff," Sam rolled her eyes, and caught Valerie's arm pulling her along to the front door where Sam pushed the doorbell and waited impatiently, "but then again, when isn't he playing hero? Clueless boy…"

"Um, hi," Danny answered the door with sparkling eyes and leaned in to peck Sam on the lips, "What's with the doorbell?"

"I brought a surprise," Sam leaned her head towards Valerie, raising her eyebrow as Tucker leaned on the both of them, pouting at being left out, "Okay, two surprises."

"Well come on in," he backed away, pulling Sam in and Valerie and Tucker along with her, "Beth and Sarah are here, and Jazz is having a blast talking sociology with her. Apparently that's what Beth majored in."

"Beth?" Valerie turned to Tucker, "Who's Beth?"

"Beth is the new neighbor, and Sarah is her six month old," Tucker explained, shedding his winter clothing along with Sam. Danny had already disappeared into the living room and could be heard making strange airplane noises, "Danny is absolutely in love with Sarah."

"I got told 'I love you,' the other day for the first time, but I still can't get more than a hi when Sarah is around," Sam led the way into the den where Danny had Sarah propped up in the air, her belly to his feet. He lay on his back, holding Sarah's hand as he pushed her up with his legs, then lowered her back down gently, making funny noises, "See?"

"Oh," Danny, took Sarah off his feet, and propped her up in the nook his folded legs made as he sat up, "Valerie, this is Beth Joneston. Beth this is one of my friends, Valerie Gray."

"Nice to meet you," Beth smiled, and Valerie returned it, with a quick, "You too."

Tucker settled himself on the floor next to Sam who was leafing through one of her books and Valerie found herself looking into very dark brown eyes, "This is Sarah. She's six months old and cute as a button."

"I see that," Valerie caught one of the little hands waving in front of her, "Hi, Sarah."

A coo and a little spit answered her, and Valerie laughed as she watched Danny start playing with her again. Tucker laughed at something and Sam rolled her eyes as she flipped a page. Valerie was about to move, when Danny caught her attention.

"So, what's up?" he pulled Sarah up a bit, frowning when she overbalanced, then smiling as she caught on, "I haven't seen you in a long time. It's a little hectic at times."

"No lie," Valerie smiled, "though I haven't had much work to do in the way of…you know."

"Ghosts?" Danny laughed, then shot a look at Jazz and Beth on the couch, "Everybody here knows…we had a bit of a mishap one night and she found out."

"I see," Valerie frowned, "I thought the rumors around school was that you were afraid of kids or something."

"Terrified," Danny answered, looking her straight in the eyes, "I could kill a kid before you could blink, heck, I could probably kill you without breaking a sweat Valerie. That scares me to death that I have that much power."

Valerie nodded as she took in his words. It hadn't been a threat, just the truth, and displayed just how he felt and how strange his life had become, "So Sarah was different?"

"Nope," Danny chuckled, "She just happened to be the baby that Sam was holding when she convinced me to try…and she helped. Jazz says Sarah healed my heart."

"You don't think so?"

"I think she healed my soul," the halfa lovingly ran a finger down the baby's arm, causing the baby to coo and grab for his finger. His eyes scanned the room, then he turned to smile at Valerie…that wicked little smile that came from when Danny Phantom was up to mischief.

"What?" she asked, irritated that he was casting that smirk her way, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Did you know that Tucker was looking at you?" Danny winked and tried to stifle his laughter as Valerie blushed slightly, "So you didn't know?"

"He probably just looked up," Valerie squeaked, then cleared her throat, "Besides, what do I care."

"I bet you care a lot," Danny laughed, then stood and whirled Sarah around, much to Beth's dismay.

"Really, Danny," she stood and snagged her child from his arms, "You're going to make her sick, she didn't eat that long ago, and I'm not going to clean her up again. This time it'll be your turn."

"Okay, okay," he shied away, acting hurt though he was smiling, "Anyways, he was looking Val."

"Who was looking?" Tucker's voice came first, with a slight edge, "At Valerie?"

"Yep," Danny laughed, "Probably the same way that I look at Sam sometimes…it was kinda'…what's the word Sam?"

"You're not funny Danny," Sam frowned, "Honestly."

"Oh yeah," Danny grinned and moved to sit beside Sam, "The word is cute!"

"I say cute one time, and now I never get to live it down," she grumbled, even as he pulled her into a one armed hug, "So who was looking at Valerie?"

"Oh this guy," he laughed, enjoying the teasing as Valerie scowled at him, "I think he's sweet on her."

"Who even says that anymore?" Val snapped, then turned to Tucker, with a huff, "Anyways, what were you two doing out this late? I was just on patrol and found myself here."

"We came over to see if we could drag Danny away from the baby to have a movie night," Tucker answered, studiously ignoring the whispered conversation between Danny and Sam that had Sam glancing between himself and Valerie, "Wanna' join?"

"Yeah, you should," Sam added in, "Danny said he wouldn't mind, and that he had a new movie off the net on his computer. If we push the bed back there should be plenty of room for all of us to sit on the floor. The bed isn't that hard to move either."

"Oh, and you'd know that because you've moved it, Sam?" Tucker teased, but quickly found himself face down as Danny wrestled him into a headlock, "Alright, I'm sorry Sam! I know you and Danny wouldn't do that…"

"I suppose it is getting late," Beth sighed and stood, "We'll be heading home."

Goodbyes were passed around and Danny was sickeningly cute with Sarah once again. Jazz retired to her room for the night and the four teens headed upstairs to Danny's room. The bed was moved, quick snacks were fixed and brought upstairs, and the movie was started. Danny, Sam, Valerie, and Tucker had an enjoyable night and went home feeling a little closer.

Danny felt like he was back to where he was supposed to be. Back with friends and family. Back with loved ones. Back home, and it truly felt good.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_In all, modern society may never truly know what happened to the colony of Roanoke Island, though theories and beliefs are widespread and greatly celebrated for their possibility. From Native American involvement to aliens, the wide range of ideas holds a certain amount of mystique and draw for the average person. With so many ghosts in our everyday lives, who's to say that another theory may not be added to the list?_

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"So, it's just you and me for a while tonight," Danny opened the door and helped Sam shrug out of her coat, "Jazz had some hot date, Mom and Dad went to some ghost convention tonight, and Beth said Will was actually going to be home for dinner tonight."

"I'll bet she was happy," Sam pulled her boots off, and enjoyed the warmth that seeped into her feet from the floor, "but that means no Sarah for you tonight."

"Oh, I'll manage," Danny laughed then pulled her around to him, "Besides, I have a beautiful woman to keep me company."

Sam laughed, and tried to back away but Danny had her tightly held in his arms. A gentle kiss stilled her and had her melting into the young man in front of her. A few more kisses had Sam with her back to the wall and Danny splitting his attention between running a hand through her short hair, kissing her senseless, and his other hand gently running over the exposed skin of her stomach.

"Sam?" Danny pulled back, placing a light kiss on her temple, "You know I love you, right?"

"Yes," she answered slightly confused, "I love you too."

"I just…don't feel like I tell you often enough," he leaned down to press a kiss to chin, then another to her neck, and then another.

"You tell me, but I'll never get tired of it," Sam responded in kind, running a hand through his short hair, then bringing one to the edge of his shirt and slipping under to run up his chest. His muscles shifted in response to her gentle touch, and Sam felt she'd never get enough of touching his skin.

Danny was apparently having the same thought as the hand that had been playing on her stomach gently started up, running over her ribs and settling just below her breasts. Danny wasn't shy, but he was a gentleman. Any inclination that Sam was uncomfortable and he'd stop in a heartbeat. He was just about to slid his hand up further when the phone shocked them both from their euphoria.

Sam laughed a little and quickly withdrew her hand, as Danny did the same and rushed for the phone. She noticed she was shaking a little as she fixed her mussed hair and wrinkled shirt, and was pleased to see a tiny tremor moving the phone as Danny held it to his ear. She wasn't the only one so deeply effected.

"H-hello?" Danny cleared his throat, realizing how strange his voice sounded and ran a hand through his own messed up hair.

"Danny?" Beth's voice crackled across the line, "Are you alright, you sound a little out of breath?"

"Oh, hi Beth," Danny laughed, glancing at Sam and noticing how well-loved she looked with rosy cheeks, messy hair, and freshly kissed lips, "I'm fine, I just uh…"

He cleared his throat again and firmly resolved not to look at Sam while on the phone, "Sam's over and uh…"

"I see," Beth's voice was slightly teasing, "but I trust you're both behaving?"

"Yes ma'am," Danny sheepishly answered, even though they hadn't been behaving at all, and as soon as the phone call was over, he planned on misbehaving all over again.

"Well, that's good. You're mom isn't home is she?"

"No, she and Dad went to a convention tonight," he frowned, and Sam walked over to him to lean against his side, "Jazz is out too on a date or something."

"Ah, I was hoping she was home. Sarah's been crying for a while now and I just can't get her to settle down," she was clearly a little frazzled by this and if Danny listened close enough he could hear Sarah's cries in the background and a man's voice gently hushing her.

"Um, I don't know if it'd make that much of a difference," Danny swallowed, "but I could come over if you want and try some stuff…sometimes I can get her to laugh with…"

"Would you?" Beth sounded so hopeful, and Danny nearly rolled his eyes. He knew how nerve-wracking a baby crying could be, "Even if it doesn't get her to stop, Will and I could take a break for a moment."

"No problem, I'll be right over," Danny smiled into the phone, and looked down at Sam, "Mind if I bring Sam?"

"The more the merrier," Beth replied, "See you in a moment."

"Right, bye," and Danny hung up the phone and grabbed Sam, "Ready to go?"

"Go?" Sam raised an eyebrow, "Can I get my coat first?"

"Nah," he laughed, and phased them through the wall, "You don't need it when you're intangible…"

The landed in the living room of Beth's house and looked around for a moment, before Danny hesitantly called for her. The answer came from upstairs and they followed the baby's cries to the hallway where Beth sat propped up against the wall, phone in hand and a man, supposedly Will, walked the crying Sarah, singing to her as he went.

"We're here," Danny smiled and leant a hand to Beth to pull her up, "That's the infamous Will huh?"

"The one and only," Beth smiled tiredly, "You got here fast…"

"One of the perks of being me," Danny laughed and watched as Sam walked over to Will, "One of the perks of being my girlfriend too I guess."

"Probably," Sam smiled at him, "Hi, I'm Sam, and I think you're Will?"

"You got it," the man smiled, and hesitantly relinquished the crying baby to her, "So, Sam huh? Are you the miracle worker?"

"Nope," Sam rolled her eyes, "Just the delivery girl."

"No, you hold her for me," Danny shook his head, "I want to try something…"

"Alright," and Sam sat down facing Danny holding the wailing Sarah so she faced Danny as well, "but you better hurry it up, she isn't happy with me."

"Right," he smiled, and held out his hands focusing on the energy flowing through him. The green spiraled out, cold as ever, and Danny focused as he started to bend it as he wished. The bright color drew Sarah's gaze immediately and the baby's crying started slowing as the wispy energy danced in front of her. Hiccups soon followed, but so entranced was she by Danny's ethereal images, her crying stopped altogether and a tiny coo sounded.

"Wow," Will breathed, amazed at what he was witnessing, "I didn't really think…"

"I told you," Sarah smirked, happy that she was in the right and her husband was corrected in his line of thinking, "Amazing guy, isn't he?"

"You can say that again," Sam was just as entranced as the other three, "When did you learn to do that?"

"Right now," Danny shrugged as he made a tiny heart and winked at Sam, "I think this has potential…"

"And I think you're flirting," she shot back, and glanced down at Sarah, "but it definitely worked."

A half hour later, Sarah was asleep in Sam's arms and Danny had ended his lightshow in the hall. Will had a thousand questions, but Beth curbed the inquisition, claiming it to be too late and that the pair needed to get back to their personal time. Danny had grinned and Sam had blushed, but both agreed that it was time to leave.

"Thank you again," Beth saw them to the door as Will lay Sarah down for the night, "I owe you big time."

Danny just grinned roguishly, "Well…next time that you think I sound out of breath…"

"Danny!" Sam hit him on the arm and Beth laughed and suddenly they were gone, only she knew they weren't as Sam continued to be upset, "You are a jerk."

"But you love me," the voices drifted to the quietly laughing Beth.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I have to kiss you and is you think that mph-"

'Oh young love,' Beth laughed to herself, 'That must have been one heck of a kiss to get her to be quiet…'

And indeed, it was.

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

_Perhaps it is not so far fetched to believe in otherworldly involvement, though many may ridicule the idea as surely as they do aliens. The truth behind the matter will never be found though, and surely the speculation will continue. Not knowing Roanoke's fate, will forever be a part of what makes up the many mysteries of our world._

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"So, ready for this month?"

"Not really," Danny shook his head as he adjusted his tie using the mirror in his room. Valerie and Sam had taken possession of the bathroom for last minute touches and Tucker and Danny had taken refuge in his room to dress, "I mean, we have senior Prom today, then the senior banquet, senior skip day, senior finals, senior game day, graduation, and then project graduation that night. This is going to be the worst month ever."

"It's not going to be that bad man," Tucker patted his back, buttoning the cuffs of his shirt, "Besides, after this, school is over."

"Yeah, but all you guys are going away after this summer," he heaved a sigh as he shrugged on his jacket.

"I happen to know that Sam is staying here and attending Amity U, and I got into Perksville. That's only thirty minutes up the road. Val got into Perks too, you know," Tucker smiled, "I think I got a chance with her."

"You know you do," Danny rolled his eyes, "You two are worse than me and Sam. You're going to tell her tonight right? Ask her out or something?"

"Yep, definitely," Tucker nodded as he donned his jacket as well, "It could possibly be the worst mistake of my life…"

"Or the best," Sam's voice teased through the door, "You never know until you try."

"You're way too cheerful for your own good," Danny opened the door, and took in the sight of Sam all dressed up for the night, "Wow…Sam. You look…wow."

"Thank you," Sam smiled as Tucker slipped a kiss on her cheek and then swept past her. They listened for a second and then smiled as they heard Tucker and Valerie.

"Wow, Valerie…"

"Yeah, kinda' clean up nice, don't I?"

"You know, you can just call me T.F. for too fine, and I'll just call you V.G. for Venus-like goddess."

"Tucker, you flatter me, but I'm not buying it…"

"I'd buy it…"

"Tucker Foley!"

Danny and Sam both chuckled, and he pulled her into his room for a quick kiss, "You're beautiful. You're going to be the envy of the prom and I am the luckiest guy alive."

"Now you're the flatterer," Sam rolled her eyes and ducked another kiss, "Ready to go?"

"Not really," he pouted and then pinned her against the door, "I don't really want to have to share you with everyone and I don't think I'll be able to stand all those guys looking at you."

"Well deal with it," Sam laughed, "because I put up with all those girls looking at you all the time."

"Have I told you I love you today?"

"Several times, but I won't say no to you saying it again," Sam teased as she received another kiss.

"Well, I love you," Danny pulled back and pulled her hand up for a kiss, "And I wanted to tell you something, and it's really important and you can't laugh until I'm done."

"What?"

The laugh was already playing on her face, but it died away when he pulled out a tiny box from his pocket.

"Danny, you," she nervously looked at the box, then up to his face, "We're awfully young, and it would be a long engagement, I mean…I want to finish school first…and…"

"Sam," he smiled and gave a little chuckled, opening the box to reveal a silver ring with a heart made from the folded silver band itself, "It's just a promise ring. I know we're kinda' young…but I don't want to ever give you up, so I figured this was a good compromise. It's not exactly what you were thinking, huh?"

"A promise ring," Sam gently touched the ring then turned smiling eyes to the suddenly nervous Danny, "I'd love to wear it."

"Good," he slipped it over her ring finger, "I was hoping you'd say that, 'cause I definitely would love to see you wear it…and then another ring after that with maybe a diamond…and then maybe a regular gold band…if you want."

"I'd love that, Danny," she leaned into him, his arms coming around her and holding her, "I'll never take it off."

"Never is a very long time Sam," he tilted her chin up and kissed her gently.

"Good, a very long time is just how long I think we should be together," she laughed gently as she felt the door move behind her.

"The limo's here!"

"We're coming Tuck," Danny laughed and snuck in one last kiss, "Come on, let's go make everybody really jealous and act all mushy. I'll say I love you a lot and kiss you senseless and then you can be all, 'Oh, I love you Danny!' and we'll confess our undying love and make out and somebody can call a priest…"

"Let's just go to prom," Sam held her hand over his mouth to stop his rambling, then opened the door and led him out, "We'll figure everything else out when we get there."

"I like that plan best Sam," Danny laughed as they ran down the stairs to catch up to their friends and enjoy life.

And enjoy life they did, for a very long time after that, whether in the present, the past, or the future. Running or walking through life and learning the ins and outs of their world and one another, time passed and Time continued, forever swirling around the happy pair and pulling them in for more adventure in their life than they were ready for. Even little Sarah found life to be an ever changing swirl of Time with Danny and Sam in her life, but that of course, is another story.


End file.
